


A Date for The Holidays

by WaywardAF67



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Blow Jobs, Bottom Dean Winchester, CFO Castiel, Castiel/Dean Winchester First Kiss, Christmas Party, Dean uses the last name Smith to protect his identity, Escort Dean Winchester, First Time, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Minor Angst, Naomi is not a bad mom, Pining, Thanksgiving, but only for a minute, miscommunication trope
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-29
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-09-02 09:41:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 37,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16784443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaywardAF67/pseuds/WaywardAF67
Summary: Castiel would never have considered hiring an escort on his own. But when his friend and personal assistant, Charlie suggested he use the service for the upcoming holidays, Cas warmed to the idea. Having a companion to help him through his mother's never-ending relationship questions, and the family drama that was sure to unfold was enough to push Cas to book a date with Succubus Escort service. He just wanted help getting through the holidays, but with Dean Winchester, Castiel Novak ended up with so much more.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Here is my fun little take on Cas needing a date for the holiday's and hiring, and subsequently falling in love with, an Escort. I don't know how anything in the Escort industry works, so if you have first-hand knowledge and see an egregious error, please let me know. 
> 
> This will be updated weekly on Thursday. I have 5 chapters mapped out, and there maybe be an epilogue. But if you have ever written anything, you know it's never as small as you initially planned. Hell, this was supposed to be a 5k PWP one shot.
> 
> Lastly, but most importantly I want to thank [TrenchcoatBaby](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrenchcoatBaby/pseuds/TrenchcoatBaby) number one for being such a good friend and a rock for my writing. By now I would have given up without her. But in relation for this fic, I am beyond thankful for the suggestions that made this clearer for the reader, for pointing out my repetition, and for pushing me to keep going even when getting constructive criticism hurts my stupid sensitive feelings. It's through those critiques that my writing has gotten better. She doesn't just say "fix this thing" she goes out of her way to make sure I understand why the change is necessary and helps me find the words to explain things when I'm stuck. And even through my defensiveness, is still somehow willing to keep helping me to write better every time she reads my work. Y'all, if you can, get you a TrenchcoatBaby. It's for real friendship goals.

“Cas, I need you to approve the budget for the Christmas party,” Charlie called from her desk outside of Castiel’s office at Novak Industries.

He looked up from his oversized cherrywood desk and stared at the open doorway as if it held all the answers. “Me? Why would I approve that?” he asked. 

He waited for Charlie to respond, but when the reply didn’t come he sighed and picked up his phone, dialing one to get connected to Charlie’s desk. 

“It’s been almost a year Cas. You’ve got to get used to having an assistant,” she chided. Charlie was Castiel’s oldest friend at Novak Industries, and when he got promoted to Chief Financial Officer, he got his choice of assistant. It had been a no-brainer for him. Charlie was smart, quick with numbers, and always by his side. 

“I know, it just feels lazy to ask you to do things I’m capable of,” Cas pleaded into the receiver. 

“Fine. Pay me to write fan fiction. I don’t care,” Charlie ribbed. “I need that budget today though. If I don’t get this cater booked we won’t have food, but more importantly, we won’t have booze. And if there is no booze, there is no fun. Do you want to be responsible for taking the fun out of Christmas, Cas?” 

“No. Of course not.” Cas sighed, leaning his head back against his plush leather chair. The back came up about six inches higher than his head, and it made for a cozy resting place. His chair was the only part of his office he enjoyed. Though, he wasn’t too upset about the private bathroom. 

“I ask again, why am I the one signing off on this? Shouldn’t Zachariah be handling this?” Cas pulled the handset away from his face to stare at it when he heard a click. It sounded as if Charlie hung up on him. It wouldn’t be the first time she disconnected their call out of frustration. Sometimes Cas had a passing thought of talking to her about showing him more respect in the office, but quickly shook the idea away. She could be rumbustious, but she was amazing at her job. Probably better suited for his position that just that of an assistant. She was brilliant and spunky, but because she hadn’t finished college, it was harder for her to move up the ranks in a place like Novak Ind. 

“Zachariah is a tool, and if he saw the budget he would cut all the fun stuff. CFO approval means we get lobster and Cristal,” Charlie said, poking her fiery redhead through his open office door. 

“What?” Cas squeaked. 

“Kidding, Cas. Calm down. I mean you and I are getting Cristal, but your peasants are getting a very fine mediocre wine and middle shelf liquor.” Charlie strode across the soft carpet, the wide legs of her red jumpsuit bellowing around her. The light from the floor to ceiling window directly behind Cas shone through her short curls, making her look like her hair was shining. 

“Don’t call them peasants, Charlie. We would have nothing without them.”

“I know, that’s why were are giving them the party of the century.” 

Charlie plopped down in the seat directly across from Cas, pushing a stack of paper across his obsessively tidy desk. “Just look it over real quick. I checked last year’s budget and it’s nothing more than we spent then. I skipped Zachariah because  _ Mr. Novak _ wanted me to plan this party personally.” 

“You know I hate when you call me that,” Cas sighed, reaching forward to pull the papers closer to him. 

“I do. But you also know I hate ol’ Zachy boy and he’s a Scrooge McDuck. He was already talking budget cuts the day you got promoted before you saved me from the carnage that is the seventh floor.” Charlie leaned back in her chair, dramatically crossing her legs. 

Cas looked up, giving his friend a long-suffering look. “You have risen from the ash to become the Phoenix you were always destined to be.” 

“Damn right I have. Now just sign the paper.” 

Not bothering to look at the cost of the annual holiday party, Cas signed his name quickly and pushed the paper back across his never-ending desk. He often compared the monstrosity to a queen-sized bed.

“What’s with the jumpsuit?” Charlie was always colorful in her attire, but a fire engine red jumpsuit was a little loud, even for her. 

“Oh.” she looked down at herself, smoothing away an imaginary wrinkle. “I just thought I would try something new. I, uh, have a date tonight. It’s too much, isn’t it? I feel ridiculous.” 

“No. I think you look lovely. Just a little, uh, different than what you usually wear. But she’s going to think you’re gorgeous.” 

“If only you were that smooth with strangers, you’d have a date other than a holiday party budget this weekend, too.” Charlie bounced up from her chair and out of the office before Cas could think of a reply. 

It wasn’t as if Cas didn’t want a date for the weekend, especially the week before Thanksgiving at his mother’s. He would love to have a partner there to help him field the awkward conversations that were bound to happen again, just as they did every year.  _ Where’s your date Castiel? Have you even been on one date since last year? All those years of prep school and you can’t talk to a man? How will you run this company without a man by your side? _

Naomi Novak never batted an eye when Castiel came out to her when he was sixteen. Her solution to Cas being gay was adoption. She was a cutthroat bitch with exceedingly high expectations for her four sons, but Cas never doubted her love. She inherited Novak Industries from her father when she was a young new mother. Her husband Chuck was never around, and she always said her children were her saving grace. Cas believed that because when she walked in the door, she left the business behind. There were many nights she worked late, or weekends she wouldn’t be home, but those were rare. By 7pm she went from Mrs. Novak, CEO to mom.

His older brothers didn’t get the attention Cas got because by the time he came along Naomi was settled into a routine. Lou was the oldest, and bitter. Their mother made all the mistakes with him and wasn’t able to give him the time she gave Castiel. There was always tension between them, but it had ramped up since Cas’ promotion. 

Lou was the first and only sibling to be given his executive position at Novak Ind. When that didn’t work out, and Naomi had to demote him, she vowed to make her children rise through the ranks. Michael was six years younger than Lou, and the acting CEO since their mother’s retirement at the beginning of the year. Gabriel ran the technology department, and Cas ran the financial side.

It wasn’t as though Lou had a low-level job, or was making a meager wage. He was still in the one percent and played an important role in the company. But he felt entitled to CEO, which ensured that the upcoming holidays were going to be full of tension, wine, and drama. 

For reasons unbeknownst to him, Castiel was dreading the holidays with his family more than usual. It would stand to reason his anxiety was coming from his new position in the company. When he was middle management in the financial department, it was easy to show his face at the holiday party and leave before the conversation pushed past casual small talk. 

Thinking back to Charlie’s quip enforced that having someone to tend to or another person that needed to meet his date could be a good distraction at both the company party and dinner with his family. But he was inept when it came to dating. He was shy and awkward, with a heavy case of ugly duckling syndrome. He knew he wasn’t a bad looking man, but years of teasing and berating from his brothers had him wholly convinced he was a weirdo that couldn’t date. 

Charlie had suggested earlier in the week that Castiel call an escort service and hire a date for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, and huffed when Cas balked at the idea. He may be an awkward shrew, but he wasn’t stooping so low as hiring a prostitute. Which lead to a long lecture from Charlie about the indignities sex workers face on a daily basis, and they didn’t need Castiel looking down their nose at them. 

She came back twenty minutes later to first apologize and then explain that an escort is not a prostitute. Cas wasn’t blind to his privilege, liked to believe he was not the type to judge a person by what they did to make a living. Companionship was important, and oftentimes hard to come by, so Cas didn’t begrudge anyone choosing to sell their company. It just wasn’t a service he could see himself using. 

But as the days drew closer to the impending Thanksgiving day meal, Cas started to rethink his stance on escorts. It had been years since he had been on a proper date with anyone, and just over a full year since the one time he tried a one night stand. Perhaps going on a date with an escort would take the pressure off being likable. His main drawback to inviting a professional to dinner as his date would be lying to his family. He wasn’t good at being dishonest, and he was sure he would slip up and embarrass himself. But he decided to give it more consideration for the holiday party. At home, his family knew he was awkward and shy, but schmoozing with an entire company was enough to make him want to call and book the appointment on the spot. 

He considered for a moment. The event was two weeks before Christmas, and probably a busy time for the industry. If he wanted a good, charming, date he should move quickly. 

It took Castiel two hours and Charlie asking if he needed anything else as she slipped on her black peacoat before he came clean with his desires. 

“Um, yes. Just one more thing. Can I—I mean do you have the number for that escort service you mentioned?” Cas’ face flushed with embarrassment as he looked down at the stack of papers in front of him. 

“O-M-G, Cas are you going to do it? Eeep, this is great. My friend Dorothy always uses this company, Succubus. She loves it. They are the best in the city. Super high class and––”

“Charlie, have you forgotten that I have no interest in women?” Cas asked. 

“What? Why would you think that?” Charlie stopped buttoning her coat to stare at her boss. 

“Well, a Succubus is a female demon that––”

“Oh. No! No it’s not just female escorts. Though I can see why you would think that. But no they started out as a female only business, but have recently expanded to include men. They even have a worker who is Agender. Crowley is really inclusive in his business.” 

Cas stared at Charlie, wondering why she knew so much about what was essentially a legal form of prostitution. She made it sound like a high-class business. Cas mentally scolded himself for such judgmental thoughts. He had no idea how the business worked, and for all he knew it was a high-class business. 

“Wipe that dirty diaper look from your face, Cas. It’s not like you’re thinking. It’s a nice place. And it’s not about sex with them. I mean, sex is involved I think, but this place is legit. They are about companionship. People with money find it hard to date casually. Your guy won’t come cheap, but he’ll be professional and fit right in with the esteemed Novak clan.” 

Cas rested his elbows on his desk and dropped his head into his hands. This conversation was humiliating, and all he wanted was to get the website, get drunk, book the damn date, and forget this conversation ever happened. Maybe if he kept Charlie busy from the moment she walked in the door Monday, she will forget about it, and not probe him for details. 

“Fine. Give me the details,” Cas mumbled into his hands. 

“I can’t hear you, but I’m assuming you said, ‘thanks Charlie you really are the best. I owe you one.’ To which I would respond, ‘yes you do owe me one. I’ll add this to the ever-growing pile of  _ ones _ you owe me.’” 

Cas didn’t look up, but he could hear Charlie’s fingertips rapidly dancing across her screen. The ping of his phone confirmed that Charlie just texted him the website. Pulling himself from his quiet tantrum, Cas slowly raised his head to thank Charlie and assure that she was due  _ one,  _ as she said _ ,  _ for helping him book a fake date, because he was pathetic enough to not be capable of finding his own. 

Several hours passed before Cas left the office, though the last half hour was spent looking for a way to incorporate pumpkin into a cocktail. Just because he was a wealthy well-respected man didn’t mean he wasn’t also a basic bitch at times. All the flavors were transitioning from pumpkin to peppermint and he hadn’t had his fill. He simply wanted to taste the flavor of the season, it wasn’t at all because he was avoiding the Succubus website. 

After he was home and in his coziest sleep pants, Cas polished off his third pumpkin spice martini, staring at a blinking cursor of the incognito tab. Just a few letters and a quick tap of  _ enter _ and he would be staring down the face of some of the best escorts in the industry. At least that’s what the thumbnail said in the message Charlie had sent him. 

Drawing in a deep breath, Cas quickly typed the address in and smashed the enter key. He wasn’t sure why he was so nervous, it wasn’t like looking at the website was a commitment. Cas almost laughed at himself when the page loaded to be a plain but elegant introduction page. It was black with red font. There was a simple menu icon and a slideshow of photos showing men and women out having a good time. A couple getting into a limo, two men laughing outside of a theater, a black and white photo of an elderly couple dancing. 

Cas read over the about section quickly and moved on to the page called  _ Our Talent.  _ There he found several photos lined up similar to a yearbook page. Men and women in photos that looked as if they were professionally done. Everyone was beautiful. It seemed impossible to pick between them, each one was uniquely attractive. 

After a little fiddling around, Cas was able to filter out the women, leaving seven men. They were handsome, and as he clicked through their bios, he learned they all were intelligent as well. Each biography was written with care and poise, but none of the men stood out the Castiel. They all seemed on equal footing in the looks department, but none of the hobbies or interest were things he wanted to spend a whole night talking about. He wondered if they had a random button and it selected a candidate for you. 

Succubus let you browsed the  _ Talent _ , as they called it, but to book a date, you had to call and schedule with the office. Cas’ eyes flicked up to the top of his screen. Fifteen minutes, he had one-quarter of an hour to decide if he wanted to go through with it.

He had a million thoughts, and just as many questions. Should he schedule someone for Thanksgiving and lie to his family? Would sitting through dinner with a pretend date be easier than sitting to the right of his mother—perched at the head of the table—listening to her preach about the importance of starting a family? Should they meet before going to his mother’s so they could learn a few basic things about each other? 

Nine minutes left. Cas reached for his cell phone. He liked the idea of having a pre-date meeting with his date. It eased his nerves a little that he would at least look like he’d met the guy before showing up on his mother’s doorstep. 

The phone rang twice before a slow, sultry voice said, “Succubus Escort Service, this is Meg, how can I help you tonight?”

“Ah, hello, Meg. I—um—I want to, I guess, book a date or, uh, schedule a date. I’m not sure how you say it.” Cas brought his palm to his forehead and scrunched up his face. He felt the tips of his ears burn at his own stupidity. 

“I can help you with that, sugar. Have you used us before?” Meg asked. 

“Uh, no. First time,” Cas responded. 

“Do you know who you want to schedule a session with?” Meg could be heard tapping away at her keyboard on Castiel’s end of the call. 

“I don’t think I have a preference other than he should be male, is that a problem?” He couldn’t imagine it would be. 

“Not at all. Just give me the dates you are looking for and I’ll tell you who I got open that day,” Meg said. 

“Okay, well I am hoping to find a date for Thanksgiving. I know it’s short notice, but I would also like to meet him before the day of, to hash out details.” Cas felt the childish urge to cross his finger they had an opening so close to the holiday. 

“Okay, looks like you’re in luck. I have a new guy available. He isn’t on the site yet, but he has an opening on his calendar. Just because he’s new doesn’t mean he’s going to be a rube. Crowley only hires the best.” Meg sounded almost defensive. 

“That sounds perfect. I’ll take him,” Cas said. 

“Okay, so he’s got tomorrow as his only opening. You just need him on Thursday? You’re not staying over with the family?” she asked.

Cas thought for a moment. Naomi liked to host Thanksgiving at her country home. The house he spent his summer in when he was back from prep school. He usually did spend the night, but since Naomi wouldn’t insist on them sleeping in different rooms, it could get awkward. Though he supposed the guy might have had many paid overnights. 

“No. Tomorrow and Thursday will do. I will also need him on December 18th, can you check if that is open?” He felt relieved at the idea of having backup to help him deflect the questions of his family. 

“Yup, he’s open. I got you in for all three dates. I just need your email address to get you some forms to fill out.” 

Cas rattled off his email address and answered all of Megs questions. It was easier for him to get a job as CFO than it was to answer the questions on the forms Meg emailed him. One thing he was certain of, Crowley vetted his clients well. 

All the forms were submitted, the intrusive questions answered, and payment processed before Cas got the name of his date (he wasn’t going to say talent) _. Dean Smith.  _ Meg sent him the photos and bio that were getting added to the website. The man was beautiful, rugged in an eloquent way. He looked as though he could grow a two-day beard and take you camping in the desert. Or give himself a clean shave and take you to an art gala. He was thankful he hadn’t been able to choose. Dean sounded perfect. 

Cas mixed himself one last martini and pulled out a legal notepad. He wanted to make a list of everything Dean would need to know. He planned on telling his mother they had been seeing each other for a month. He had to make it believable that Dean wasn’t after him for his money. His family knew he didn’t flaunt his wealth and considered the merit of telling his mother that Dean didn’t know about his fortune. 

He wasn’t sure how this had spun so completely out of control. Less than twelve hours he wasn’t even considering hiring someone to be his date for a holiday party, now he was preparing to lie to his whole family to save a little embarrassment. If fiction had taught him anything, this was bound to fail. 


	2. Chapter 2

Castiel woke up to an email from Dean Smith asking where Cas would like to meet. They were scheduled for three hours in the early evening, and Dean was apparently on a tight schedule. Cas shot back a quick reply stating that he would like to meet Dean somewhere he was comfortable. They were going to spend time with his family—a strange situation for Dean—so he wanted Dean to be in his element while they got to know each other. 

Going about his day wasn’t as easy as Cas had imagined. He had a list of questions he wanted to ask Dean and an even longer list of anecdotes he imagined Dean would know after a month of dating. He had an idea of topics that would be off limits for one reason or another and would offer Dean to send him a similar list. Cas wasn’t sure how escorts worked and if that was something they knew off hand, but he didn’t want to assume anything. Most assumptions about such a service were likely to offend or make him look naive. But he couldn’t help but wonder if sex was an option. Cas still didn’t know how he felt about having sex with someone he was paying. Inherently, he found nothing wrong with a person paying for sex, it was just something that made him uncomfortable. He wondered how much of that was his own thinking, or if his reservations were more systemic judgment. 

The forms Meg requested had asked some pretty invasive questions, some things only a sexual partner would know. Maybe that was to make the relationship seem more believable, but he wasn’t sure how often people rented an escort for companionship versus intimacy. But the form asked his preferred sexual position and inquired if there were any hard limits the talent should avoid bringing up.  _ Top, Bottom, or Other _ were pretty vague, and the  _ other _ option required an explanation. He wasn’t about to put his legal name on a form that explained he mostly liked to top, but wouldn’t mind bouncing on a guy's lap every once in a while. 

As Castiel got ready for his meeting with Dean, he hoped those types of topics wouldn’t come up. Dean was new, so he might not have a system worked out for his dates yet. Maybe he was just as clueless as Castiel, and they could figure out things together. Dean had been polite but short in his emails, almost as if he were guarding himself. 

Castiel ran his gelled fingers through his hair, making his strands artfully tousled. On any given day he would usually squirt a drugstore brand of product in his hair and go about his routine, but he felt insecure. Would Dean think he was a loser? He was a decent-looking guy with a good job, so finding a partner should be easier than it had been for Cas. Wondering if escorts judged their clients only made Castiel’s nerves rise, so he tried to deflect his thoughts. Instead, he mulled over what he was going to wear. 

It took him half an hour and a small mountain of discarded items, but he finally settled on a cool grey button-down, with a blue cardigan over the top. He didn’t want to scream family money by wearing his favorite blue suit, but he didn’t want to look too casual. If he were witnessing this happen to someone else, he would say to them everything would be fine, and there was nothing to worry about. Texting Charlie and asking her to tell him just that seemed like a viable option, but if he did that he would inevitably get a phone call, and he didn’t have time for her subsequent squealing. 

The location Dean chose for them to meet was a small rundown gumbo shack on the outskirts of the city. Cas knew the place well––he passed it every time he drove to his mother’s country home. Guidry’s Cajun Cafe always looked a little too rundown to still be in business, but the parking lot was always full when he drove past. Today was no exception. The small gravel parking lot had several cars and an old beat-up pickup truck with a camper attached. It was always there, and Castiel figured it belonged to the owner. 

What didn’t fit in with the other plain early 2000 model cars was the behemoth of a vehicle parked at the very edge of the lot. It was clear the owner parked as far away from other cars as possible, most likely to avoid careless drivers dinging up the well-maintained, probably considered a classic, Chevy Impala. 

A bell chimed as Cas pushed his way through the foggy glass door of the restaurant. He eyed the inspection sticker that showed this place received a ninety-nine during their last audit. He heaved a sigh of relief knowing at least he wasn't going to get food poisoning. The inside of the shack was cleaner than he imagined. Subconsciously he knew there had to be a certain level of cleanliness for the restaurant to get an almost perfect score, but the small dining area far surpassed his expectations. 

Behind the high bar—with what looked to be new countertops—stood a big burly man with a salt-and-pepper beard. He wore a cabbie hat and an apron that couldn’t begin to cover all his muscle. This guy was a bear dreamboat, and if he were better at flirting, Cas might have considered trying for his number. 

“You must be here for Dean,” the man said with a slow drawl. Cas couldn’t quite place his accent, but it was thick and charming. 

“I am. Is he here?” Cas looked around the room, trying to spot the man from the pictures Meg had shown him. 

“Sure is, chief. He’s right ‘roun the corner. Take this on over there wit'cha. He’s been waitin’ awhile.” The man, “Benny” his name tag read, handed Cas a beer and a menu before turning to go back into the kitchen. 

Cas followed Benny’s vague directions as he walked past the bar. When he rounded the corner, he saw Dean tucked in a small booth in the back of the restaurant. The booth was positioned next to a window, and warm light streamed across Dean's face. He was even more stunning in person. 

Dean was looking down at his phone, giving Cas a few moments to look his fill. He imagined it was okay to do that when they were at his mother’s or the party, given that he was supposed to be a love-struck fool in a new relationship. But he didn’t want to outright ogle Dean during such an informal meeting. 

Eventually, Dean looked up to catch him staring. It didn’t seem to bother him if his wide smile was anything to go by. He stood as Cas dumbly made his way to the table. Panic was coursing through him, making him forget how to greet a stranger. Should he hug Dean, or shake his hand? How could he shake Dean's hand with his palms so sweaty? Dean would think he had some weird, sweaty hand disease. 

“You don’t have to look so nervous.” Dean’s voice came out in a rich baritone. His grin was sweet, and from what Cas could tell, genuine. 

“Hello, Dean,” Cas said as he awkwardly pushed the beer and menu toward his companion. “Benny asked me to give you these.” 

Dean took the beer and gave Cas a wink. “That’s for you,” he nodded to the plastic menu, as he sat back down, gesturing for Cas to do the same. “I always get the same thing.” 

Castiel wondered how Dean could make sliding into a booth look sexy. It was usually a silly task that most people fumbled through, but Dean slipped right in. His powerful thighs held him above the seat until he dropped down into his desired position. There was strong grace about his movement, confident and relaxed, but still dignified. It was easy to see why Dean was a high-end escort. The man was a fantasy come true. Casual and polite, sexy and sweet. Naomi was going to eat him up. 

“Do you come here often?” Cas asked. He slid into his side of the both with a clumsy jerk as his pants caught on the red vinyl seat. 

“No need for the pickup lines, Cas. I’m a sure thing.” Dean leaned forward and placed both palms on the table, elbows spread wide. His eyes were mischievous, and Cas couldn’t tell if that was part of the act, or if Dean was really that interested in him.

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean…” Cas trailed off. 

Dean leaned back in a more relaxed pose, almost shrinking in on himself. Cas marveled at the man’s ability to command their space. With just a few movements, Dean made him feel more at ease. 

“Castiel, I’m serious. You can relax. We are just being ourselves here, okay?” Dean’s tone was softer than it had been only a moment ago. 

“Well, that’s half the problem I suppose. I’m rather awkward.” Cas wrung his hands together. 

“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that? Let’s start with what you’re expecting out of this. Thanksgiving and a Christmas party, right?” 

“Yes. Initially, I just wanted a date for the company holiday party. I have a new position and predict a lot more small talk than in years past. But, then I started thinking about how nice it would be to have my mother off my back about finding a husband. She’s all about family, and as my brothers and I step into the leadership roles of the company, she wants to see me settled.” Cas snapped his jaw shut, realizing he was rambling. 

That was probably the most he had said to a stranger at one time since he bought his car. There was something about Dean that just soothed his anxiety. He was easy to talk to, listening to Cas with quiet acceptance. It’s not something he felt since he first met Charlie all those years ago. 

“Okay, so we’re charming your mom. I can do that. But man, I gotta ask why don’t you have a boyfriend? I mean no offense, but you’re hot as fu—fudge.” Dean blushed at his slip up.

Cas felt a flutter of butterflies erupt in his stomach. How could a man that looked like Dean think Cas was hot? Was he supposed to say that because of his job? Or did Dean truly find him attractive? He had always been told he was handsome, but he thought his smile was too gummy, and his nose was kind of big. Never one to take a compliment well, Cas ignored Dean’s kind words. 

“Please, don’t refrain from your normal speech on my behalf. As I said in the email, I want you to be as comfortable as possible. I think the more genuine we are, the easier the lies will be.” Cas was proud of his deflection. 

“Thanks, man. I don’t usually have a date where I’m asked to be myself. People pay me to be what they’re looking for. I’m still not sure how I should act right now. Now, back to my question, is there a reason you’re single?” 

Benny chose the best moment to sidle up to their table to get Cas a drink and take their orders. Cas hadn’t looked over the menu and just stated he would have what Dean was having, right down to the same bottle of beer. 

He had avoided Dean’s question long enough and took a deep breath before divulging his biggest insecurity. “I am single because, as I said, I’m a bit awkward. I don’t know how to approach men myself, and when I get approached, I tend to push people away. I don’t have casual sexual encounters, and it’s hard for me to trust people. My mother instilled in me that I have to be careful of the people I let in my life. When you come from a wealthy family, people tend to see dollar signs more than they see the person.” 

“Shit. That must get lonely,” Dean said. His tone was kind and empathetic with no trace of pity. 

“It depends, for me it is. For my oldest brother, Lou, he doesn’t seem to mind that the women he keeps company with are only interested in what they can gain from their relationship with him. I sometimes envy that,” Cas admitted, letting his shoulders slump in defeat. It was nice to give voice to his deepest secrets that even Charlie didn’t know. 

Benny quickly returned with two steaming bowls of gumbo that smelled delicious. The beer was a seasonal microbrew, and so robust in flavor it paired perfectly with the rich flavors of the soup. 

Cas moaned around his first bite. “Mmm, I can’t tell what I like more—the soup or the beer. I can’t believe I’ve passed this place a hundred times and never stopped in before.” 

“The beer is great. The guy that makes it is a local that has a tiny at-home nano-brewery for the beer. He also makes mead using fresh honey from Cain’s apiary just south of here.” The was a light in Dean’s eye that made Cas think Dean knew the brewer and was somewhat close with him. 

“I would love to try the mead. My mother’s home is not too far from Cain’s apiary. I went there a few times as a boy, and it was so fascinating. I think I would like to go again someday.” Cas watched Dean’s face carefully to see if his expression gave anything away, but he couldn’t make head or tails of the crooked grin. 

“I could make that happen. In fact, if you want, after we eat we can ride over there. The bees aren’t particularly active this late in the year, but I’m sure Cain would show you around and answer any questions. I mean, only if you want to.” 

Cas felt soup dribble down his chin as his head snapped up to meet Dean’s eyes. He reached for his napkin and quickly swiped away the proof of his mess. Dean was smiling, and for a moment Cas almost forgot that this wasn’t a real date. Talking to Dean was so easy, but he imagined that was because there was no pressure for him to be likable. He wasn’t trying to impress Dean, and while he would love to date someone as beautiful and spontaneous as Dean, he couldn’t imagine anyone like that being interested in him. 

“I would like that, Dean. Very much.” 

They spent the rest of the meal talking about things his mother might ask them about their relationship. Dean seemed to have a good memory, and that gave him a little more confidence. What Castiel was struggling with most was the story of how they met. Dean said he would go along with anything Cas came up with, and would even do his research if he needed to know something specific about their meeting. The thought of an elaborate lie was too overwhelming, so he thought they should go with the underlying truth. He met Dean through Charlie, they set up a blind date and hit it off. 

It fascinated Cas that Dean was so willing to be someone different while on his paid dates. When Cas asked him about that, Dean said he liked to keep himself separated from the job. It was easy to get paid to play a part: the doting boyfriend, a passionate lover, an interested first date. They were all things Dean could remove himself from and never lose who he really was. 

“So, what part are you playing now?” Cas asked. A little nervous to learn that everything had been a lie. 

His soup was long gone, but he was on his second beer. Drinking was never important to Castiel, he had a high tolerance, and alcohol wasn’t particularly tasty to him so he often found it pointless, but the malt in front of him had a hint of toffee and undertones of maple. He may not get drunk, but it filled him with warmth and false confidence

“I’m not,” Dean said, ducking his head to hide the corner of his mouth lifting. 

Everything Cas heard had been the real Dean. He felt a warm glow spread through his body, and a small part of Cas hoped that Dean felt as comfortable around him. 

Castiel insisted on paying for their meal, but Benny told them it was on the house. He had a cheeky grin when he said the beer came cheap, and the gumbo was always free for Dean. It made Cas wonder if Benny was the brewer Dean had been talking about. 

Cain’s was only fifteen minutes down the road, and Dean offered to drive them in his prized possession. It turned out the black car Cas had admired on his way in was Dean’s. He spoke about the car with such pride, it was easy to see Dean was someone that cared deeply about the things he held close to his heart. 

He hadn’t been very forthcoming with many details about himself, but Cas understood. It was important to Dean to keep the real him out of his work, so Castiel did his best not to probe, but he couldn’t help himself…at the first break in conversation, he blurted, “How are you not married?” 

Dean took his eyes off the road to stare at Cas, making him feel uncomfortable for the first time since they had met. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to assume. You could be with someone, I just thought––” Cas didn’t want to finish the sentence, knowing there was no way to get out without making himself look insensitive and ignorant. 

“You assumed I’m single,” Dean said turning his eyes back to the road. The side of his jaw twitched, and even a stranger could see that was a tell of Dean’s annoyance. 

“I did. I don’t know why. I guess because I thought if anyone were dating you, I couldn’t imagine them sharing your time. Not that your partner gets to make that choice, obviously you choose your own career. I just thought...I’m sorry I assumed wrong.” Cas swallowed the excuse that was on the tip of his tongue.  _ I just thought if I were dating you, I wouldn’t want to share you.  _

“It’s okay, man. I get it. Not everyone understands this. But you’re right. I don’t have a partner. And I’m not the sharing type either.” Dean looked at him much quicker this time. He had a cheeky smile that reached his eyes, and it felt like Dean understood exactly what he meant without having to be told. His only response was to smile back at Dean. 

The silence that followed wasn’t exactly comfortable, but also not unsettling. It was the best he could ask for on a first date, Cas supposed. But the moment of tension didn’t last long before Dean reached over and turned the radio up. It played a song Cas had never heard, and that sparked a conversation about music, and this was the first time Cas saw Dean’s mask slip. The way he talked about music with such open adoration was the first real thing Cas learned about Dean. Not something he had been told, or something Dean careful chose to share about himself, but something Cas learned by just being with Dean. Dean hadn’t even talked about his car with as much love. Or maybe his car was one of the things that was acceptable to talk about while he was working, Castiel thought. 

Cain’s apiary was different than Castiel remembered but no less exciting. They were greeted at the door by the owner of the farm, joking that he heard Dean leaving Benny’s. It seemed as if the men knew each other well, and were comfortable enough to poke fun at one another––Castiel envied them. Charlie was the best friend he had, but she was also his subordinate, so he always felt limited in his communication with her, even outside the office. Not that he was one for playfully cruel banter, but as Cain and Dean snapped back and forth, it was suddenly something Cas wished he had in his life as well. 

After a somewhat strained introduction as Dean’s “ _ uh, friend,”  _ Cain invited them in and began explaining the basics of harvesting honey. He told Cas that the bees were in their collection period preparing for the winter. Much like humans, Cain explained, they like to stay in where it’s warm, only leaving the hive on the warmer days to relieve themselves. He went on to explain the admittedly complex system the bees had for keeping their queen warm. Castiel was enraptured. 

Dean joined the men where the stood in the living room with two bottles of mead he pilfered from Cain’s fridge. He popped the top off one bottle before passing it to Cas. The label was the same brand as the beer back at the gumbo shack. The logo was brown with sepia accents, the vintage whiskey label font simply read:  _ Winchester.  _ As well as the alcohol content and brewing location. 

“Ah, so you brought him here to show off the booze. And here I thought he was just interested in my colony,” Cain joked with Dean. He gestured to the loveseat across from where he said down in a well-loved, yet somehow still ornate, yellow and gold recliner. 

Dean sat first, throwing his arm around the back of the small matching loveseat. The room was a hodgepodge of old furniture, a wicker side table sat next to Cain’s recliner, long bookshelves that lined one wall for the room, only standing at hip-height. Above the brick fireplace was a window with a stained glass mural of a beehive. It was warm and cozy, and Cas loved everything about it. 

“I didn’t have to bring him here to show off the booze, I could have done that at home. He likes bees. Came here a few times when he was a kid. He even asked his mom for his own hive when he was twelve, but she said no. His oldest brother is allergic.” Dean rested his ankle on his knee and took a long pull from the bottle in his hand, looking the slightest bit smug. 

“Now I think he’s showing off how well he pays attention.” Cas couldn’t believe the joke fell so easily from his mouth. He couldn’t remember the last time he teased someone for fun, or honestly if he ever had. It made him smile, and want to do it more. 

“Well, there are worse things to boast about,” Cain said. 

Talking to Cain was almost as easy as his conversations with Dean. He answered all Cas’ questions without annoyance and even took Cas out to see the hives. Dean was right, they weren’t especially exciting, but the knowledge he gained was still thrilling. He couldn’t stop grinning the whole time they were there and the smile followed him all the way back to his car. 

“Thank you, Dean. I had a really good time,” Cas said as Dean pulled in next to his car. 

“Yeah, me too. Think we’ll be able to fool your mom?”

The words were like a dunk in an ice bath. Had he really forgotten this date was nothing more than a transaction? A lead up to the biggest lie he ever told his family. He mentally kicked himself for forgetting but made an internal promise not to fall down that rabbit hole again. 

“I think we will do just fine,” Cas said, reaching for the door handle. 

“Well um, look, I think you should take my number, okay? In case you think of anything you want me to know.” Dean gave him a look that was almost shy, and though he felt a surge of happiness, he reminded himself that Dean was a professional who was just providing excellent customer service. 

“Yes, that’s a good idea. Thank you. I don’t really have a specific way I want you to act. I know you don’t want to just be yourself, but do you need me to come up with a backstory, or is that something you do?” Cas asked as he dug out his cell phone. He unlocked it and handed it to Dean to add his phone number. 

“Nah, man. I can come up with something. I can text you or email you details, that way your mom doesn't catch on, sound good?” Dean passed Cas’ phone back with a smile. His phone chimed, indicated that Dean had texted himself so he had Cas’ number. 

“Yes, that is perfect. And thank you again. I know this is your job, but you’re really helping me out.” Cas gave Dean one last lingering look before pulling back the handle and slide out of the car. He heard Dean call out “no problem” as he shut the door and waved. 

Pretending Dean was his boyfriend might be a lot harder than he initially planned. He was going to have to keep himself in check and not let himself get swept up like he did today. They were simply business associates, and Dean’s kind eyes and freely given smiles were nothing more than a job well done. He had to remember that. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I was too excited to wait until Thursday to share this. Chapter 4 will still come next Thursday.

Castiel walked into the office late Monday morning. It wasn’t like him to sleep in, but after a night of tossing and turning, he decided to take a few hours off. His alarm clock shrieked at seven a.m., and he was barely able to shut the thing off and send a quick message to Charlie before burying his head under the blankets and going back to sleep. The last time he looked at the clock it had been three a.m., and four hours was just not enough for him anymore. 

He was relieved to see that Charlie was away from her desk when he walked in. The bags under his eyes and a rumpled black suit would clue her in that something was wrong. She was going to find out about Dean and their mock date, but he didn’t want his friend to know he had stayed up all night imagining what it would be like to really date Dean. 

He considered calling the whole thing off. Worried that spending any more time with the man would only push his crush to an unhealthy territory. He looked up the hours of operation for Succubus, and as luck would have it they had a stringent cancellation policy, and as the woman Meg stated before, everyone else was booked. 

Telling Charlie would have to be easier than swirling around all the possibilities in his head. She would tell him he was being crazy, they would laugh about it over lunch, and he’d send her back to work happy to have helped, and even more pleased with a free meal. 

When lunchtime finally rolled around, he called her—just one more way of sucking up—and asked if she would accompany him to lunch, his treat. Charlie was happy to jump at the chance and was bouncing through his office door before he even set the receiver down. 

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” she asked. 

“Charlie, I, um, I need to talk to you. I mean as your friend, not your, uh boss,” Castiel said. Trying to sound more confident than he felt. 

He slowly drew himself up from the comfort of his chair. They had been hit with a cold snap that morning, and with the lack of sleep and below freezing temperatures, Cas opted out of his morning run. His muscles were stiff from the hours spent in bed, and he wanted nothing more than to go home and soak in a hot bath. 

“Oh, sounds interesting. Let me get my coat.” Charlie turned on her heel and all but jogged cross Cas’ office to the coat rack she kept by her desk. 

Castiel had a hard rule that friend Charlie and work Charlie never collided. So when they went to lunch together, no work talk was allowed. They always left the building, and if they went over an hour, she would make up her time. That last rule was one she insisted on, because she was salary, and did more than enough for him. But she knew he needed that clear line to feel comfortable with her, so she did her part to accommodate him. It made Cas understand Dean more when put in that context. Not that he didn’t understand why Dean would want to separate himself from the job, he did, but it was easier to see his point of view when he related it to his friendship with Charlie. 

They settled into a booth at the redhead's favorite deli. They had been eating there a few times a month for the past year, so they didn’t have to ask for their beverage orders as they made themselves comfortable. The waitress placed their drinks down before asking if they needed a moment to look over the menu. It was rhetorical because when they said no, they got the same thing every time, she walked off to punch their meals into the ordering system. 

“So, what’s up, friend?” Charlie pulled her drink closer and sucked on the straw without lifting the glass. 

He hoped to have more time to prepare for this conversation, but she wasn’t pulling any punches. He might as well jump right in. “I, uh, booked a date with Succubus.” 

Charlie’s head snapped up from where she was blowing bubbles in her chocolate milk. “You what? Oh my God. When? Who did you get?” 

Castiel took a long pull from his iced tea. “His name is Dean. He’s new and wasn’t on the website yet. He’s very attractive, and my mother is going to be eating from the palm of his hand.” 

“How do you know that?” she asked. 

“Oh, I met him this weekend. I wanted it to seem like we were a real couple, so we spent a few hours together. He has a great memory, and is very believable.” Cas felt his cheeks heat up. He didn’t want to give too much away, but his best friend was too astute. 

“Shit Cas, you can’t like an escort. It’s their job to be likable.” 

“I know. I know, Charlie, but he’s too good at his job. He’s beautiful and funny. He's sweet, with humble confidence. And a smile sexy enough to make a man very uncomfortable in public.” Cas dropped his head to the table and mumbled, “I should cancel the dinner right? Tell my mother we broke up?”

Cas looked up with pleading eyes, though he wasn’t sure what answer he wanted more. It would be easy to tell Dean he changed his mind, and didn’t want to lie to his family, because that was true, he didn’t like lying. He could harbor his little crush for the rest of the week and be over it by Monday morning. The drawback was his mother might not react with the pity he hoped for, and push him even further to get back up on the horse, or some equally as corny cliché. But if he went through with it, if he had Dean’s undivided attention—the doting boyfriend as he had said—he might not bounce back as quickly from that crush. 

“Has your mom ever been empathetic during a breakup before?” Charlie asked. 

“No.” 

Their food arrived, and Cas took a few moments to stuff his face. He had skipped breakfast and felt like his stomach was starting to eat itself. Plus, if he had a mouth full of food he couldn’t keep the conversation going with Charlie. 

By the grace of God, his friend could tell he needed a moment and tucked into her food at a much more reasonable pace. They ate for a moment, letting their stomachs fill before they continued, and just as Cas was ready to talk again his phone vibrated against his thigh. He had his email set to buzz if it came in high priority, and with it being so close to the end of the year, he couldn’t start letting his work slip because of one stupid green-eyed Greek god. Instead of his expected email, it was a text from Dean. 

_ Dean Smith >>> Hey, Cas. It’s Dean. I just thought of something. How’s your mom’s pie? I’m pretty picky about pie. Would she be mad if I brought my own? _

Cas chuckled, who was that serious about pie? He was smiling down at his phone typing out a reply when Charlie kicked his shin. He doubted it was urgent, so he ignored her to finished his message. 

**_Dean Smith <<< My mother doesn’t cook. She hires out for the meal, and the pie is always good. But I’m not sure my opinion would meet your standards. Feel free to bring your own. _ **

_ Dean Smith >>> Good. I was going to pretend it was a hostess gift, but really I’m going to eat some. ;)  _

Charlie kicked him again, harder this time. He glared at her and pocketed his phone. She could probably tell by the way he was smiling at his device that he was talking to Dean, but he didn’t want to be confronted by his shame. 

“Dude, you got it bad. This isn’t good, Cas. Is he even single?” 

“Would it matter if he was? I can’t pay him for his service and then ask him out.” Cas said it like it was a fact, but he’d thought about it several times in the last thirty-six hours. 

Charlie chewed thoughtfully before asking, “Why not?” 

“It would be weird, I think. And honestly, Charlie, I couldn’t share him. I wouldn’t let him out of the house if I knew he was going to be with other people. I mean, escorts have sex with people, right?” Cas asked. It was something he’d been thinking about but was too scared to ask Dean. Maybe it was something you had to pay extra for when scheduling with Meg. 

“Yeah, I think some do. Dorothy doesn’t have sex with her escorts, but I think there is for sure stuff included in special packages. You can’t have sex with this guy, it'll break your heart.” Charlie dropped her fork and reached across the table taking Cas’ hand in hers. His phone buzzed in his pocket once again, and his friend gave him an empathetic look. “Just be careful, okay? And if you’re not, I’ll be there with the tequila.” 

He had never been more grateful for Charlie. 

It took Cas two full minutes before he reached back into his pocket to check his phone. He felt his skin tingle when he saw  _ Dean Smith _ scrawled across the screen, but he wanted to wait until they were back at the office to check the message. Charlie was right, he needed to be careful, but he couldn’t help the jolt he felt that Dean was thinking about him. That he cared enough about their date to do all the extra work. Maybe it was because Dean was new and didn’t know his boundaries yet, but Cas was just desperate enough to take advantage of that. 

The pair were back at the office within their allotted hour. Charlie went about being her chipper self. If she was worried about him past giving a warning, she wasn’t making a big deal out of it. Cas dreaded the day Charlie realized she was worth so much more than just being a personal assistant. She could probably run the IT department better than Gabriel, and if Cas ever stepped into the CEO role, he would make sure she was given her own department. 

Securely hidden behind a closed door, Cas finally reached for his phone. At some point during the walk back to their office building, Dean sent a follow-up text. 

_ Dean Smith >>> So what time are we going to your mom’s? I have the whole day blocked out, so I’m fine to leave whenever. Do you mind if I drive? _

_ Dean Smith >>> _ _<http://i.imgur.com/vwD7OID.gif> _

_ _

Cas laughed out loud at the gif of the Scooby gang in the mystery machine cruising down the road. He sent back a reply of a dog wearing sunglasses buckled into the front seat of a car, along with a reply that he had to check with his mother to confirm the time. 

Not wanting to be the person who stared at his phone, desperately waiting for a reply, he tucked his phone away in his drawer and focused on work—while he desperately waited for a reply. 

It was easy to get lost in his work quickly. He was at the tail end of a complete department overhaul and starting January first, all new policies would be enacted. It had been a big project, but Castiel was finally ready to get the final approval from Michael. Not that he expected Michael to look the policies over, or even care, but his new system was going to save them a nice chunk of money, and give their best workers more responsibility, and thus better compensation. That had been his plan all along, but he knew if he saved money, Michael wouldn’t peek his head in to make sure Cas was doing his job well. If Michael weren’t looking, HR would be notified of room in the budget for wage increases, starting with the cost of living adjustment he planned to submit along with the paperwork to his older brother. Starting from the bottom and moving up. 

He was thoroughly proud of himself by the time he closed his last document. It was nearing the end of the day, and even though he came in late, he had gotten enough work done to call it quits. 

Cas was already planning what to make for dinner as he collected his coat from the closet. It was so cold that soup was the obvious choice, and he hadn’t been able to get Benny’s gumbo out of his mind for the past two days. He had never made gumbo before, but maybe Dean could point him a good recipe. He knew it was just an excuse to text Dean, but it was a good one. 

**_Dean Smith <<< Hello, Dean. This may seem silly, but I have not stopped thinking about Benny’s gumbo. Do you have any recipe suggestions for something similar? _ **

That didn’t seem too intrusive. Dean had texted him a few times, and though they were always about the work they had to do, he couldn’t imagine Dean getting upset over a simple question.

_ Dean Smith >>> Heya, Cas! Sorry, I’m about to head off to work, or I would help you more. The trick is to substitute the okra with Tony Chachere’s Gumbo File. Stir your roux for at least 20 minutes. Let me know how it turns out. ;)  _

The response from Dean made Cas feel warm all over. It was sweet and thoughtful. He could have easily ignored Cas and responded later that he had been at work. In reminding himself that Dean was an associate and not an actual friend, he couldn’t help but wonder in his short time as an escort if he talked to all his clients this way?

Cas saw it one of two ways: Dean was really working an angle trying to get a repeat customer. Or, he was just someone who hadn’t set boundaries for himself yet. It seemed almost dangerous as an escort to make the person feel so special. Wouldn’t that make the client develop a one-sided relationship? It was good for business, but Cas couldn’t imagine purposely making someone care for you without returning the feelings, and from what he knew about Dean, it didn’t seem likely he would be that callous.

The thoughts were making him melancholy, and he had the perfect cure: pumpkin martinis and gumbo. Cas had drunk more in the last five days than he had the previous five months, but he’d also had twice as much social interaction, so he didn’t feel too bad about his increased drinking. 

Cas set about pulling ingredients out of his cabinets. Cooking wasn’t a passion of his, but unlike the rest of his family, he enjoyed preparing his own food. As he stood there stirring the roux, he wondered what his brothers would think of Dean. He imagined Gabe being playfully teasing. Michael would show no interest. Lou was the one Cas was most wary of. He would be the one most likely to see through the act, and if he did, he was also the one willing to make a scene and upset their mother. 

Cas was finally able to settle in on his pointlessly large sectional. A TV tray sat in front of him holding his steaming bowl of soup and an extra large martini, as he flipped through the channels looking for something to watch.

The sheets were cool as Cas climbed into bed three hours later. His belly was full, and though his soup was good, it was nowhere near Benny’s. Guidry’s was almost an hours from his apartment. He was going to make time in the next week to drive down there and get a few bowls to bring home and freeze. He wouldn’t mind seeing if Benny would sell him a case of Winchester’s beer either. 

As he was drifting off to sleep his phone buzzed and illuminated the room. It was late, and he was comfortable, but the thrill of it being Dean overrode his comfort. 

_ Dean Smith >>> So, how’d the gumbo turn out? _

**_Dean Smith <<< It was good, but nothing in comparison to Benny’s. Thank you for the tips. _ **

_ Dean Smith >>> No problem. I’m thinking Benny just got himself a new customer. ;) _

**_Dean Smith <<< Funny you should mention that, I just made a plan to go down there sometime in the next week or so. Which reminds me, would Benny sell me a case of that beer?_ **

_ Dean Smith >>> You liked the beer that much? _

**_Dean Smith <<< Yes, I really did. I liked the mead a lot as well, but think I prefer the beer._ **

_ Dean Smith >>> I’ll make sure Benny has enough to send you home with a few. It’s late, you should get some sleep.  _

**_Dean Smith <<< You as well. _ **

**_Dean Smith <<< Oh, I never told you, my mother would like us there by noon for appetizers._ **

_ Dean Smith >>> Ok. Just let me know where to pick you up and what time I should be there. ;)  _

Cas couldn’t help but grin at the winky face. His comfort with Dean was only growing, and he was already tired of fighting his feelings. Getting hurt was part of being an adult and though he was destined for it, he made the vow that moment to enjoy every bit of Dean he could get, his heart be damned.

Cas sent Dean his address and the time he wanted to meet. He told Dean he would meet him at the door if Dean would text him when he was close. He was preparing himself for heartbreak and didn’t want any memory of Dean in his home. 

Tuesday passed in a flurry of emails, conference calls, and texts from Dean. He resolved himself to stop questioning Dean’s motives and just enjoy what it felt like to have someone thinking of you. His mother called to confirm that he and his boyfriend were going to be there by noon. You didn’t run a fortune 500 company by being lackadaisical, and tardiness was not to be tolerated by Naomi Novak. 

On Thursday morning, Cas stood outside of his high rise apartment complex, that he paid way too much for, two hours before he had to be at his mother's. Dean was just around the corner, and they had more than enough time to spare. Being early was always acceptable, so Cas planned accordingly. 

When Dean pulled up, he put the car in park and climbed out. Rushing to the passenger side, he pulled the door open letting a burst of warm air hit Cas’ face. He gave Dean a big gummy smile and thanked him as his heart skittered in his chest. He wasn’t going to make it out of this alive. 

Cas handed over a tumbler full of coffee, made to Dean’s specifications. When Dean called him to let him know he was getting close, Cas asked if he would like some coffee for the road and how he took it. Dean looked at him as if he was the Savior, and brought the metal cup to his lips. He took a long gulp, and his eyes fluttered closed as a small sigh escaped his lips. It was borderline obscene, and Cas had to drag his eyes away from Dean’s bobbing Adam’s apple. 

“You’re a lifesaver, man. I didn’t have time for a cup this morning,” Dean said as he slid the thermos between his thighs. That wasn’t helping Cas’ condition. He was now just envious of a cup. 

“I’m a little nervous, do you mind if we go over our story once again?” Cas asked shyly as Dean navigated them onto the empty street. 

“Sure. You’re Cas, and I’m Dean. We met through your friend Charlie. Our first date was at a little hole in the wall gumbo shack, where I won you over with my charm and microbrew.” Dean kept his focus on the road, but Cas could see his smile from the corner of his eye. 

He laughed and then something hit him. “Wait, your microbrew? You are the brewer? You made that beer? With your hands?” Cas was shocked. At first, he thought Benny was the brewer Dean spoke of the first time they met, and then toyed with the idea that it might be Cain given the mead was stored at his house. He had a shed on the expansive property that could have been used for making beer, but it was a process Cas couldn’t even being to try and understand. 

Dean chuckled. “Yeah, I make the beer. You didn’t—I thought you figured it out.” 

“No, I thought you were talking about Cain or Benny. Dean, that beer is fantastic. Where else sells it?” Cas couldn’t hide his enthusiasm. 

“Oh, nowhere else. The whole microbrew isn’t just a trendy name. You don’t get very much out of one batch, and it’s not a quick process, fermentation takes about a month the way I do it. The mead is a lot faster, but the alcohol content isn’t as high.” Dean lit up when he started talking about the brewing process. It was something he was obviously passionate about. Cas just listened as he spoke of his grandfather on his mother’s side being a moonshiner, and how making hooch was essentially the family business. 

“Wait, but the brand is ‘Winchester.’ Where does Smith come from if your mother’s side is Campbell?” 

Dean turned to him with wide eyes, looking as if he just told Cas state secrets. It wasn’t hard to figure out why. “Oh. Smith is a pseudonym. Yeah, that makes sense,” Cas said. 

Even though he promised himself that he wasn’t going to obsess over Dean’s intentions, the realization that Cas hadn’t even known the man’s real name stung more than he wanted to admit. 

“Sorry, the company makes you use a fake last name.” Dean sounded genuinely remorseful. 

“It’s okay. Really. I understand. I imagine some clients get rather attached, and better safe than sorry.” Cas looked out the window and wrinkled his nose at the awful cliché. 

“I haven’t really been doing this long enough to have repeat customers, but you’re right. I wouldn’t want to charm someone's pants off and then have them hunting me down or anything,” Dean said. His posture was casual, but the tick in his jaw was there again. 

“Why do you do it then? Can you make a living selling your beer?” Cas shuffled in his seat turning to look fully at Dean. He hadn’t expected the man to throw his head back and laugh. 

“No. God, I wish. But no. I mean, I want to. That wouldn’t be for years though. It takes a lot of money to get something like that off the ground, and I’m not exactly well connected with brewery investors.” 

They passed the gumbo shack, and Cas felt himself deflate. They were getting closer to his mother’s, and the conversation had just started to get good. 

“If you had investors, would you do it?” Cas’ mind was racing a million miles a minute. What if he invested? No, that might make Dean uncomfortable—what if Lucifer invested? He liked drinking. Cas didn’t know of anyone off the top of his head that could help Dean with this startup, but between all the resources of the Novak’s he could have Dean up and running in a year. 

“Hell, yeah. It’s my dream, as lame as that sounds. I never planned to be an escort. It just fell into my lap, literally. The money is good enough I figured if I saved every penny for the next five years, I could start looking into expanding. The equipment I have now hardly keeps Benny in stock, but his regulars have a high demand. We make just enough to keep doing it. No profit, but I’m not in the red, so it’s something.” Dean shrugged as if he hadn’t just divulged his dream, aspirations, and five-year plan on the CFO of a highly successful company. 

It dawned on Cas that he never told Dean about the family money, and since the country home was basically a mansion, he figured he might as well say something. “We will come back to the falling on your lap thing, but there is something I should have told you sooner.” Cas swallowed thickly. He was oddly nervous Dean would judge him and think he was a snob. “I’m sure you know my last name is Novak. I’m CFO of Novak Industries. We are a—” 

“I know who you are, Cas. I know how to google,” Dean joked as he turned to Cas, giving him what could only be described as a cocky grin. 

“Oh. I didn’t think you knew. You didn’t say anything.” 

“Neither did you.” 

“Touché.” 

“Cas, did you really say ‘touché’?” 

Both men laughed. Where he had been worried before about coming across as a believable couple, he had no doubt his mother was going to buy into it. It was a struggle for him not to buy into, there was no way Naomi would see through their lie. 

“So back to this job falling into your lap?” Cas asked cheekily. He felt a lightness when he was with Dean, and being playful was becoming strangely comfortable. 

“It’s really not an exciting story. I was a bartender at Malone’s. You know, the strip join on eighteen? I was having a drink with a buddy backstage after my shift, and Crowley came in, tripped over my foot, and fell into me. I think it was staged, but he’s good-looking, so I went with it. He had been trying to recruit my friend Aaron, said he needed someone of the Jewish persuasion. Aaron wasn’t into it, didn’t want to have sex for money, so he turned Crowley down. I was there, and the money is insane. I mean, sorry.”

Cas felt his skin prickle, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. It was a good time to ask Dean about sex. He seemed open and okay talking about it. This might be his opportunity. 

“You don’t mind,” he hesitated, “I mean, the having sex for money. It doesn’t bother you?” 

“Does it bother you paying for sex?” Dean grip on the steering wheel tightened and pulled his eyes from the road to glare at Cas. 

“No. I’m sorry, please don’t misunderstand. I’m not judging, simply asking. I wasn’t even sure if sex was an option. I’m not sure how any of this works. Please, Dean, I didn’t mean anything by it.” Cas’ words tumbled out in a rush. Everything had been going so well, and he ruined it by one stupid question. 

Dean’s shoulders relaxed and heaved a sigh. “I’m sorry. I’m still a little defensive about it. People can be assholes, you know.” He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “But to answer your question, yeah I’m okay with it. I mean, it’s just sex. I like it, they like it, where’s the problem?” 

“For the record, I agree with you. I think my reservations come from being told it was wrong my whole life by media. Because when I think about it, I can’t give an actual reason for why it would be bad or wrong.” Cas was happy to have gotten that off his chest. The conversation wasn’t as awkward as he expected. Dean was open and honest, and Cas wanted to do the same. 

“Okay, then. We’re on the same page,” Dean said nodding his head. 

“On the same page,” Cas repeated. 

Going over their backstory took up the rest of the trip. At Dean’s suggestion, if there was a question that Cas didn’t know the answer to, he was to make one up, and Dean would follow along. That way they didn’t have some rom-com moment where they both answer the question wrong at the same time. Cas felt it was reasonable to say there were so many things he and didn’t know about each other. They had only been dating a month, and if their relationship were real, Cas knew he would leave little time for talking if he had Dean alone in his room. 

“Holy shit, Cas. This is a fucking mansion,” Dean said he pulled up to the gate’s keypad. Cas told him the code, and he punched it in before drive around the circle driveway. It wasn’t by definition a mansion, but it was as close as you could get. The house was big and ostentatious, and he absolutely loved it. It held his fondest memories. 

He wanted to live in a large house away from the city. There were some options, and when things ran smoother in his department, and he could afford to work from home more often, he would look into getting himself something similar, though not nearly as big. 

Dean put the car in park and blew out a deep breath. “You ready for this?” 

Cas looked at him with wide eyes, “Let’s do this.” 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am finally caught up. I seem to have accidentally moved my posting date to Monday, so hopefully next Monday you will have an update if not sooner. Thanks for reading.

When Dean got out of the car he opened the back door and pulled out what looked like a travel casserole dish—but for pie. It was round with a handle on top, two grips on the side, and double-stacked. Dean clearly wasn’t joking when he told Cas he loved pie. 

He passed the container to Cas and reached back into the car, but paused, looking up with unsure eyes. “I brought some beer. I don’t know if your family drinks, but I brought it just in case?” Dean made it sound like a question as if he was unsure of how his beer would be received. 

“That’s very kind of you, Dean. I want my brother Lou to try it. I think he’s going to love it,” Cas said. 

Dean nodded twice and finally pulled out an old Amazon box. “It’s not very classy, but I don’t make boxes bigger than six-packs.”

“It’s fine. They are going to love it.”

Cas watched Dean marvel at the ornate entrance. Both hands were wrapped around the box of beer, and his mouth hung open. A vine-covered archway illuminated with twinkle lights welcomed them to the front door. Just as Cas reached for the handle, the door swung open and Naomi stood there looking regal in a gray power suit with a crisp white button down. Her auburn hair was tied into a sensible bun and her pink painted lips were pulled back into a tight smile. 

“Castiel,” she greeted. “It’s so good to see you.” Naomi wrapped her son into a tight hug. 

“Hello, mother,” Cas said as he walked past her into the warmth of the house. The day had been cold, and he’d foolishly only worn a light sweater. 

“I’d like you to meet Dean.” Cas tilted his head toward the man adorning his side. “We’ve only been dating a month, please don’t embarrass me.”

“It’s your brothers that are most likely to embarrass you, but I will do my best.” Naomi put her arms behind her back and turned to Dean, appraising eyes trailing up and down his body. “Hello, Dean. It’s nice to meet you.” 

“It’s lovely to meet you, Mrs. Novak. Thank you for allowing me to attend your family dinner,” Dean said as he tipped his head in greeting. 

Were it not for the years of preparatory school, Cas would have gaped at Dean like a fish. His tone was cool, but his language overly formal from what Cas was used to hearing. Dean had turned on his work persona, and though it wasn’t that far off from the real Dean, Cas already didn’t like it. 

“Nonsense, I am honored to have you.” Naomi reached for the box Dean was holding. “Can I take this from you?” 

“Oh, thank you, but I’ve got it if you wouldn’t mind showing me where to set it?” Dean said in that strange new voice. 

“Right this way.” Naomi’s heels clicked as she exited the foyer. 

The men followed her past the great room and into the kitchen area where Naomi showed Dean the beverage refrigerator. Cas made room for the pies on the counter and said hello to Jody. She had been cooking for the Novak’s for years. It always made Cas feel bad that she had to work on the holiday, but she insisted that if she wasn't working she would be home moping. Jody had been widowed at a young age and never remarried. Her only child lived in Japan and only came home for Christmas. 

“Mother, Dean brought you pies,” Castiel said with a hint of pride. It’s wasn’t a boring bottle of wine. Dean brought so much of himself to the dinner, and he hoped his mother could see that. He only wished he didn’t see it as clearly. 

“I did. I hope it’s not an imposition, I simply love baking, and you can never have too much pie,” Dean preened, and Naomi’s eyes softened. For the first time, she really looked at Dean. Not the intimating once over from their introduction, but a true observation. 

“That’s very sweet of you, Dean, thank you,” Naomi said before turning back to her son. “You’re the first to arrive, Castiel. Would you like to show Dean around, and I will ask Jody to mix us up a pitcher of mimosas?” 

“Thank you, Mother.” Cas paused for a moment before deciding to grab Dean’s hand and lead him from the kitchen. Couples held hands…he was just selling their relationship, that’s all.

Cas pulled Dean up the grand staircase and down a hall into a large room. The light in the bedroom was soft, the dark curtains hardly letting in any sun. The matching bed set was a dark oak wood and a plush queen-sized bed sat in the middle of the room. 

“Jesus, Cas. This is bigger than my apartment living room,” Dean said, walking toward one of the overstuffed bookcases.

“This has been my room since I was just a boy. I’ve always liked the country home, more than the house we had in the city.” Castiel briefly let his mind wander back to the summers he spent in that very room. His first kiss with Balthazar, his first blowjob from Mick Davies. His first breakup, also Mick Davies. The memories held in that room were both happy and sorrowful, and he was anxious to see where recollection of Dean standing at his bookshelf thumbing across the titles, was going to fall. 

Cas strode across the room and pulled back the curtains, letting in more natural light. “I always wanted it dark in here. I would sleep until noon most days. It drove my mother nuts, but as long as all my chores and activities were done, she let it slide. I don’t think my brothers got the same lenient treatment.” 

Dean turned from the bookcase to give Cas a small, almost sad, smile. “It’s a little brother thing. They always get treated better.” 

There was such a sadness to not only what Dean said, but how he said it. As if it were a fact of nature that younger siblings were to be treated better. Cas didn’t think that was fair, and though he got special treatment in some ways, he was certainly made to follow rules the other never had to. It seemed unfair as a child, but now that he’s an adult Castiel knew that Naomi adjusted her parenting based on the children’s needs. Cas, for example, rarely ate candy, he never had a taste for it the way Gabriel did. So he had no sweets restrictions, while Gabe had to have permission every time he wanted sugar. It made no sense when he was nine and Gabe tried to coax him into sneaking cookies into his room at midnight. But Cas learned that he needed to be disciplined based on his own wants and needs. It was fair and practical, two things that described exactly who his mother was. 

“Alright, show me where you stashed your porn,” Dean called out, making Cas laugh unexpectedly. 

“I didn’t––”

“Yes you did, come on. Was it here?” Dean pointed to the drawer in the bedside table. 

“Of course not. I’m not insane.” Cas rolled his eyes. He walked over and stood close to Dean, breathing in the same air. He reached up and around the man’s shoulder, brushing up against him unnecessarily hoping it gave Dean the same thrill he was feeling. Cas pulled down a huge book with a green and gold hardback cover. 

He smiled as he opened the book to reveal a vintage looking magazine in black and white.  _ Jockey Club  _ was scrawled across the top in block letters, and two men painted the cover in an overly staged pose. One of them leaning back on a barstool with his pants around his thighs, and the other bent over at the waist running his nose along the other man’s hard shaft. 

The picture wasn’t especially dirty, he’d seen much worse as a young man, but it always made Cas’ cock twitch. Keeping the magazine a secret had always turned Cas on a little when he thought about it, and he never stopped to analyze it, but maybe secrets were some kind of kink for him. He would have to explore that later when he was alone in his own bed. Or maybe not alone, depending on how the night went. 

“Come on, let me show you around a bit. My mother is not a humble woman, and by the time we get back downstairs, she will want to hear about how much you love the house.” Cas was mostly joking, and Dean’s soft chuckle told him Dean got his humor. 

Showing his home to Dean was enjoyable. Cas filled the silence with anecdotes about his childhood, or shenanigans Gabriel got them involved in. Dean laughed at all the right places and seemed as if he were truly interested in the past. At some point, he pulled Dean by the hand, and just forgot to let go. 

They were still holding hands when they walked down the staircase to be greeted by Gabriel bursting through the door. Cas checked his watch to see that they had been upstairs almost an hour and his brother only had three minutes to be inside and settled before Naomi came looking for him.

“You,” Gabe gasped and he bent over putting his hands to his knees. “I was with you. I’ve been with you and this guy upstairs. Wait a second...who is this guy?” Gabe openly stared at their clasped hands. 

“This is Dean, my boyfriend,” Cas said lifting his chin a fraction of an inch. 

“Hiya Deano. I’m Gabe, I’ve been here for twenty minutes, and you and I are already fast friends, got it?” Gabriel stood up, straightened his jacket, and walked passed both men with a sophisticated nod. A complete 180 from how he walked in the door. Dean wasn’t the only one playing a part a the dinner table. But Naomi knew Gabe’s antics and chose to ignore them as long as he didn’t embarrass the company publicly. 

Dean stared after Cas’ brother with a perplexed look. “What the hell was that?” he asked. 

“That was Gabriel. It’s better not to ask what he’s up to. I find the answer is always worse than I imagine.” 

Dean laughed and pulled Cas forward. They were headed for the kitchen, and even though there were fresh mimosas, Cas would rather have one of Dean’s beers. 

The meeting between Dean and Cas’ other siblings went much smoother than that of the Gabriel introduction. Michael and Lou exchanged pleasantries with Dean and made small talk about the weather. It was no wonder Gabriel was always Cas’ favorite brother. He was a handful, but he was never going to waste your time with talk of the barometric pressure.

Cas expected his family to have more questions for him and Dean. He felt silly for being so worried, but as they sat in the great room waiting for their meal to be ready, the Novaks proceeded as usual. His mother sat in a large wingback chair facing the two couches where the rest of her guest sat. Gabriel still hadn’t surfaced from his initial appearance, and Cas could see Naomi’s face tightening up with every minute that passed. 

Cas wasn’t ready to relax just yet though, because he knew the questions were still coming, and as he sipped down the last of his second beer, he figured he was as ready as he could be. 

“What are you drinking there, Cassie?” Lou asked from the couch opposite him.

“Hmm, I actually wanted you to try this, I think you’ll like it. Let me grab you one.” Cas stood asking if anyone else would like a bottle. To Cas’ surprise, both Naomi and Michael took Cas up on his offer. 

“What about you, babe? You want one?” Cas’ cheeks burned at the endearment. It’s not something he’d ever said before and it felt rough and disingenuous. Were he and Dean actually dating, he probably wouldn’t call him  _ babe  _ and he worried he just blew his cover. 

“Yes, please,” Dean responded. He took Cas’ hand and brought it to his mouth kissing the man's knuckles. “Thank you.” 

The way Dean said thank you felt like there was more to it than just an offer to get him a new drink. Surely Dean wasn’t on to Castiel’s plan to have Lou try the beer and want to invest in it. Dean was too humble to assume. Perhaps he was simply thanking Cas for sharing his passion. 

He thought about asking Dean to help him collect the drinks but decided against it. Dean would have to face his family alone at some point, and it might as well happen early on and while Cas wouldn’t be away long. They planned on saying Dean worked as the director of sales and marketing for a small company based out of Columbus, but Cas wasn’t sure how long Dean could keep that conversation going. Maybe it was something he knew a lot about, and that’s why he used that as a cover story. 

Castiel returned to a room full of laughter. All eyes were on Dean and he had the genuine smile that he hadn’t used since they walked in. No one had noticed his entrance, and Cas quietly watched from the doorway as Michel turned serious. “Cas seems happier. I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you.” It sounded more like an accusation than a statement of fact. 

“Cas is a great guy. I want to make him happy. He’s so kind and authentic. I’m not sure how such a great man could be blessed with such beauty and still be single,” Dean said wistfully. 

“Single?” Naomi asked. She knitted her brows together and stared at Dean.

“Forgive me, I can be a bit old-fashioned. By single I meant unmarried,” Dean lied gracefully. Cas would have sputtered and done such a poor job trying to save the mistake he made, that they would have outed them before he could even come up with a lie. Though, it didn’t sound like Dean was lying. The things Dean had said about him could be true. Maybe Dean did think he was handsome and kind. It was something he had heard before, but coming from Dean’s lip made his heart soar. He so desperately wanted it to be true. 

Dean turned to see Cas leaning against the door frame and winked. “Hey, Cas. I was just about to tell a joke about an unemployed salesperson, but I think it still needs some work.” 

Cas wanted to roll his eyes, but his mother and Michael were giggling along at the corny joke, so he played along and huff a small chuckle as he handed out the beers. 

Cas took his seat next to Dean and stared as Lou took a long gulp of the beer. He pulled the bottle away from his lips and eyed the label closely. If he still had faith in God, Cas would be praying that Lou didn’t say anything about the design of the logo. He imagined it was something Dean or one of his friends made in photoshop, and while it was nice, it wasn’t professional grade. 

“This is great. I’ve never heard of this brand. It’s kinda quaint,” Lou said. He held the label out close this face and made a shocked looking expression. 

Cas tried to make it look casual, but he’s sure Dean wasn’t fooled by the way he eyes shot up to check his reaction. To Cas’ immense relief, Dean had a faint smile. 

“‘Quaint,’ I like that,” Dean replied. 

Lou tucked his chin back and drew his brows together at Dean’s comment, but before he could say anything, Gabriel walked in with two silver tray full of appetizers. 

“One anti-pesto and one relish tray,” Gabe said in a really bad Italian accent. Jody followed him with plates, cutlery, and napkins. 

“So what were we talking about?” Gabriel plopped down on the couch in between Michael and Lou. 

“Cassie was just about to tell me where he found this.” Lou passed the bottle to Gabriel, who took a sip. As soon as the flavor hit his tongue, Gabe tipped his head back and took a deep pull from the beer. 

“Hey, that’s mine,” Lou cried, pulling the bottle from Gabe's lips and splashing a bit on the back of the couch.

“Lucifer Charles Novak, you are an adult and I expect you to act like one in front of company.” Naomi tilted her head to the side and glared at Lou. Cas never noticed the head tilt before and had to hide his smile behind his hand in learning his signature move can from his mother without his knowledge. 

“Dude, you could have warned me your brother’s name was Lucifer,” Dean whispered in Cas’ ear and that pushed him over the edge. A hysterical bark of laughter escaped from the back of his throat. 

Gabriel reached for Lucifers beer and whined, “I want one,” while poking his lip out in the most pathetic adult pout anyone had ever seen. 

“For God’s sack Gabriel, they're in the cooler. Get one yourself,” Naomi said with a long-suffering sigh. 

Gabriel bounced up and over Lou’s legs and scurried off to the kitchen. 

“I apologize for my son, Dean, he can be a bit much,” Naomi said. 

Dean waved his hand in front of his chest once, “It’s no trouble. I have a little brother too. I think they are programmed that way.” This made everyone laugh and as soon as it came, the tension was gone. 

Dean told the Novaks about his brother with the pride of a parent. Sam was attending school at Stanford working on his undergrad degree, and Dean bragged about his grades, about his accomplishments, and even cracked a joke about how gasey his brother could be after Thanksgiving and that he was thankful to be avoiding that. Yet, somehow it didn’t sound vulgar or crass. Castiel’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline when his mother chuckled. 

Dinner was finally ready and Jody called them to the dining room table. When he looked over to see if Dean approved, there was a look of amazement painted across his face. It made Cas wonder if he’d ever seen a feast so large. He got a sense that Dean wasn’t used to many nice things. 

When Castiel was four he had coordination problems. It wasn’t anything a little occupational therapy couldn’t fix, but it made it hard for him to eat. He had only been four years old for three months the Thanksgiving he dropped the bowl of mashed potatoes on Lou's lap while passing them over. Lou jumped up, called Cas an idiot, and ran to his room to change. He had been wearing a new designer shirt and was convinced it was going to stain. Cas burst into tears and ran to his mother. She shushed him and rocked him until he stopped crying. Lou eventually came back downstairs to finish their meal, but she asked him to let Castiel sit in his seat near her.  _ Just this time  _ she’d said and Lou gave in. That was the last time Lou ever set near his mother at the dining room table. 

This year, he got pushed one seat further away as Dean sat next to Cas, who was to the right of Naomi. To the left sat Michael and then Gabriel. Cas felt almost bad that Lou was pushed so far down. He considered switching seats with him, but as soon as the thought occurred Lou leaned in and started talking to Dean. Maybe he wasn’t as isolated as Cas imagined, he just looked so far away from their mother. 

Lou was always a bit of an outcast, and because Castiel was  _ clearly the favorite _ ––if his brothers were to be believed––he often felt bad for his older brother. He was usually on the fringe of everything. The dinner table, the company, even the family photos. When he got demoted from CEO he was sent down from the tenth floor to the seventh. It wasn’t a bad workspace in Castiel’s opinion, but Lou said it was a living hell. He really leaned into his name. 

The group filled their plates as they passed around dishes. Idle chit-chat covered the sounds of forks and knives scraping on his mother’s holiday China. Naomi talked about her upcoming travels. Michael talked about his wife, Anael, and kids visiting their grandmother. Anael took the kids to see her mother for Thanksgiving because it might be her last. Michael wasn’t able to get a flight out until Friday morning, but he would be joining them for leftovers and scrabble. Gabriel just grunted and dug into a piece of Dean’s pie that he somehow managed to sneak on his plate. 

The conversation was light through the course of the meal, and Cas got up once more to bring a round of beers to the table, the wine bucket long forgotten. It wasn’t until dessert that Lou brought up the beer again. “So, where did you say you got this?” Lou asked. 

Not knowing if Dean wanted to out himself, Cas looked to him for the answer. There was a moment Cas saw Dean hesitate as if he was worried to tell the truth. It made sense that Dean was reluctant to share that much about himself with a client’s family. But he smiled up at Cas before leaning in to catch Lou’s attention.

“I made the beer,” Dean stated plainly. 

“Really? How?” Lou asked. 

Castiel sat back in his seat to watch Dean give an abridged version of his brewing process. There was no animation or excitement like when he was telling Cas. 

“So where can I buy this? I need to take some back to my minions.” Lou grinned. Cas wanted to laugh because he looked like the Grinch with his lips turning up slowly. 

“You’ll have to stop by Guidry’s Cajun Cafe on your way out of town. They’re my only distributor,” Dean said. 

Lou drew back and gaped at Dean. “How is that possible? This stuff is great, I’m sure even better on tap. You’re in sales, can’t you, you know, sell it?” 

Cas could see Dean was slipping into uncomfortable territory and tried to intercede, but Dean gently placed his hand on Cas’ arm. “I’m working on expanding. Brewery investors are hard to come by. It’s a highly competitive market and most small labels fail. When I do expand, I’m going to wait until the timing is right, and hopefully, have an investor by then.” 

The table fell silent, and Dean looked around the table, a confused look drawn across his face. “What? What did I miss?” 

“Castiel, have you not even offered?” Naomi asked. “I don’t often care for beer, and even I know this is a money-making product.” 

“No mother, I didn’t ask my boyfriend of one month if he would let me invest in his startup. Don’t you think that’s a little presumptuous?” Cas felt an anger flare up in him that was hardly ever directed at his mother. Even if he and Dean were really dating, he couldn’t dare ask Dean to let him invest in the company. They wouldn’t be on equal footing, and from what little Cas knew about Dean, he knew his pride ran way too deep to not be an equal in his partnerships.

“Bullcocky,” Gabriel interjected. “Have you seen the way you look at him? Those are some serious heart-eyes mother fuc—”

“Gabriel!” Naomi exclaimed slapping her palm on the table. 

“What? I’m just saying, Cassie looks at Deano here like he would outright buy him a brewery just to make him happy,” Gabriel said before shoving a spoon full of mashed potatoes in his mouth. 

“You have that much money, Cas?” Dean turned, eyeing him with suspicion. 

“Technically, yes. I could buy you a brewery. And I would, but I figured you for a man that doesn’t mix business with pleasure.” Cas trailed off on the last word, and to the family, it probably sounded like he was trying to be subtle about what kind of pleasure Dean was getting, but in his heart, Cas felt a clinch at only being in business with Dean. 

“You’re right, I don’t,” Dean said his eyes downcast. 

Another silence, this one laden with tension, the only noise was Gabe still chomping away on his green bean casserole. 

“How about I leave the pleasure to little Novak, and you give me a call Monday morning Dean. Cassie isn’t the only one that could buy you a brewery, and I was looking for a new investment opportunity.” Lou materialized a business card out of nowhere and pressed it into Dean’s hand. “I’m serious, man, we leave my brother out of it. Throw me a pitch together, we’ll talk it out.” 

Lou slapped his hands together and rubbed back and forth, “Who wants to try Dean’s pie? We might have the first ever brewery slash bakery.” 

Cas’ family members laughed and went about their meal picking up where they left off. It was nothing for Lou to drop a comment about investing in Dean. The product was good, and Dean seemed to have a working knowledge of sales. He hoped the man sitting next to him would take the offer seriously. With one simple sentence, Castiel’s brother changed Dean’s whole life, offered him a five-year jump start on his dream. He would be a fool to turn it down. 

Dean for his part looked humbled and pleased. A faint smile rested on his lips and he thanked Lou and said he would call. He pushed around the food and his plate, and Cas wondered if he’d lost his appetite. That could be good or bad, he didn’t know. 

After dinner, Jody brought the pie out. She normally would join them for the meal, but this year she ate in the kitchen with her son and his family on video chat. The pie had been so well received, Cas was sure Dean’s cheeks were permanently stained red. Jody thanked him, explaining she was awful at baking pie and the bakery they normally got their pies from was sold out. Cas overheard her whisper that she ended up buying a few pies from the freezer section of the deli, and Dean had saved her ass. 

Bellies were full and eyes were drooping when Naomi suggested a round of scotch by the fireplace. The beer Dean had brought was gone, and by the time Cas finished his second glass of scotch, he felt warmth running through his veins. His tolerance was high, and he had eaten enough for a week, but he did start drinking at noon…and his buzz finally caught up as the sun was setting. 

Naomi and Jody excused themselves as the night wore on. Michael had cornered Dean, and Cas was debating the merit of moving from the comfort of his chair to save him. It was deemed a worthy cause, but first, he had to relieve himself of a handful of beers and several rounds of scotch that were weighing heavily on his bladder. 

The bathroom was just past where Michael and Dean were standing, and Cas made sure to make eye contact before entering. Letting Dean know he was going to save him. He wouldn’t be long, just a quick trip, and he would jump in and save Dean from whatever boring story Michel was telling him. He took a weird interest in Dean, and Cas couldn’t tell if he wanted to swoop in and steal Lou’s business, or was just interested in knowing Cas’ new partner. 

When Cas was done, he pulled the door open and was startled to find Dean standing on the other side. He had a feral look in his eyes and when Cas tried to walk around Dean, he was grabbed by the waist and halted. Dean walked him backwards into the bathroom and pushed the door shut with his foot. He shifted Cas and pushed his ass up against the counter. 

“Dean?” Cas gasped, his heart hammering in his chest. “What are you––”

His words broke off when Dean’s hands trailed from his waist, up his sides, and moved across his chest to rest on Cas’ neck. Still holding the other man, Dean pushed his body against Cas and buried his nose in his neck leaving feather light kisses. 

“Your brother saw the look you gave me, and I’m supposed to be your boyfriend, right?” Dean ran his nose along Cas’ stubbled jaw, and put his lips next to Cas’ ear and whispered. “And if I was your boyfriend, I would have followed you in here so I could blow you.” Dean nipped at Cas’ ear and swirled his tongue around his earlobe. 

Cas let out a pained moan. He wanted Dean to be his boyfriend. He wanted Dean to want to follow him in here, and most of all he wanted Dean to blow him. Escort or not, Cas needed to know what it was like to be with Dean, and if he was willing, so was Cas. 

Dean let out a surprised squeak when Cas gripped his hips and pushed him against the adjacent wall. His hands moved into Dean’s hair and he pulled the other man’s lips down to his in a desperate kiss. They crashed together and Cas wasted no time licking into Dean’s mouth. Their tongues rolled together smooth and wet, as their lips moved slowly. The kiss was filled with need and passion, and though Cas suspected it was his own need that could be felt, he didn’t care. Dean’s mouth was on his and it was glorious. It was going to be worth the heartache. 

Dean’s palms slid down Cas’ back and gripped his ass firmly. He held Cas still as he bucked his hips up, grinding his half hard cock against Cas’ thigh. Cas released a deep sigh as he sucked Dean’s bottom lip into his mouth. Goosebumps broke out all over his body when Dean whined and rutted up against him. They hadn’t done more than heavy petting, and Dean was growing harder by the second. Cas wanted to analyze that, break down every moan and gasp. Did Dean really want this? Was this just part of the services Cas had paid for? There was no way his cock would be tenting his pants like that if he weren’t at least enjoying himself. 

Needing a break for air, Cas pulled back. He had to catch his breath. Dean was hard and rubbing against him, and it had been an embarrassingly long time since he pleasured himself. Dean chased his lips, showing Cas he was just as into it.

Cas pushed Dean’s shirt up scraping his nails against the other man’s back. His skin was warm and soft as Cas pulled the button up shirt over Dean’s head. Both men laughed when Dean struggled to wiggle out of the stiff fabric. It brought a moment of sweetness to the otherwise scorching moment. 

The kissing was less frantic when they came back together. The small bit of laughter they shared changed the mood. Castiel was aware that he was in the bathroom in his mother’s house, and that his brothers were right outside, but Dean was the only thing that mattered. Dean with his heaving chest, and bare torso. His deft fingers working Cas’ belt buckle open. The sound of the metal clinking together in the silence of the bathroom made his dick pulse. It was the sound of excitement and anticipation and pure arousal. 

“S’okay?” Dean’s breath ghosted over Castiel’s lips. 

“Yes,” Cas moaned softly. He felt a bead of sweat trickle down the side of his neck. Dean had him the textbook definition of hot and bothered and if he didn’t feel some kind of friction against his cock he was worried he might have a stroke. 

Trying to get Dean to hurry, Cas thrust his hips forward, reaching behind himself to grip the bathroom sink. He let himself lean back against the counter as Dean reached for the button of his slacks. 

“Mmmm.” Cas hummed when Dean’s knuckle brushed against his cock. He wasn’t sure what Dean planned on doing, now that his pants were hanging open, but Cas wished he would hurry up and do it. He was aching and almost positive there would be a little damp patch on the front of his briefs. 

Cas stood chest to chest with Dean, his tanned skin millimeters from his own. The tension, the almost-but-not-quite touching, made Cas’ breath hitch. The anticipation made him harder than he had ever been. Dean had a sensual grin and Cas had no idea what he was planning. It was erotic and invigorating. The other man’s hand slid around his waist and swiftly jerked Cas forward crushing their chests together. He slipped his fingertips into Cas hair and pressed one firm kiss on his lips before pushing him back against the counter. 

Dean dropped to his knees and looked up at Cas through his lashes, his green eyes sparkling. Cas wanted to cherish this moment. Even if Dean was faking it, he had Cas feeling like he was a prize that Dean had won. Cas couldn’t remember being more turned on. 

He felt his briefs slide over his cock, and threw his head back as the fabric trailed down his thighs. He expected Dean to make him wait, to draw it out or tease him a little. So when Cas felt a warm tongue slip up his hard shift he cried out. A tiny part in the back of his mind reminded him that his family was on the other side, but he couldn’t be bothered to care.

Dean ran his hands up Cas’ thighs and worked his way up to Cas’ hips where he squeezed hard enough that Cas hoped he'd have bruises in the morning. As a reminder that Dean had been there. Though he was unlikely to forget the tongue probing at the tip of his cock, licking the precum away from the slit. 

Lips wrapped around him and Cas’ fist flew to his mouth. He bit down on his finger to keep from moaning Dean’s name. He wanted to beg Dean to go faster to take him all the way in, but Dean was taking his time slowly working his mouth down Cas’ cock. 

Finally, Dean hollowed his cheeks and sucked hard as he pulled back. It was all Cas could do not to grip Dean’s head and slam him back down, shoving his hips forward. He wanted to fuck Dean’s face until come poured out of his mouth. Cas had never felt that urge before and wondered what it was about Dean that made him feel so wild, so exhilarated. He felt antsy, like he wanted to get one round out of the way,…and then spend the rest of the night taking each other apart. 

Dean started to bob up and down. Taking his time at first but quickly picking up the pace. Dean’s grip on Cas’s hips tightened further and he suspected his desired bruises were already starting to form. Dean gently guided Cas’ hips forward, pushing his cock further down his throat. 

“Fuck Dean,” Cas whined wishing he would never stop while also wanting to come right down Dean’s throat. 

Dean pushed him back and pulled him forward quicker, letting Cas know it was okay to move, and holy fuck did Cas want to move. The fantasy he had not thirty seconds ago was about to become a reality and it was better than any porn he’d ever seen. 

Cas watched as his cock slide in and out of Dean’s mouth to a rhythm he set. Dean was staring up at him and rolling his tongue against the underside of Cas’ cock. 

“Yes, oh god Dean I’m gonna come,” Cas cried, as he held back with everything he had. He wanted to give Dean enough time to back off, but he needed to move quickly. Dean squeezed his hips impossibly harder and Cas lost control. His stomach muscles jerked and thighs clinched as the first rope of come shot into Dean’s mouth. His hips stuttered as he pushed further into Dean’s wet heat. 

He heard the dry clapping of skin and looked down to see Dean stroking his own cock. Cas shivered as an aftershock ran through him. The hand that was in his mouth dropped back down to grip the sink. He watched Dean pleasure himself, still holding Cas’ softening dick and come inside his mouth. 

Cas loosened his grip on the counter and brought his hand to Dean. He ran one finger along his jaw, down his throat, over his collarbone. “Come on, Dean, I want to watch you come.” 

He didn’t know where the dirty talk came from. It wasn’t his usual style, but seeing Dean with his hand flying over his cock and looking up at him with shining eyes, made Cas want to say all sorts of naughty things. He wanted to tell Dean to stop and let Cas taste his come.

Dean pulled back and Cas’s now limp cock bounced out of his mouth with a few splashes of come dribbling down his chin. He could hear the friction of Dean’s palm jerking up and down and his cock. 

Cas was thinking about grabbing Dean’s hand and licking his palm when the other man dropped his forehead to Cas’ pelvis. His vision was obscured, but he could tell Dean came when he felt the man start to tremble. He let out a small gasp and looked up at Cas, replacing his forehead with his chin. 

Cas looked down at Dean, holding his spent cock…and couldn’t help himself. He bent awkwardly, trying to catch Dean’s lips. “God, you’re beautiful.” 

Dean ducked his head. “Stop.” 

The men shyly redressed and cleaned up. Now that the heat and passion were gone, Cas dreaded walking out of the bathroom. He could only hope Gabriel hadn’t noticed. 

All his hope was lost when he and Dean walked back into the room to see his three brothers sitting on one couch staring at them. 

“So...how was it?” Gabriel asked. 

Cas learned long ago when those three teamed up against him it was better to play along than to resist. 

“Best orgasm of my life. I think I have a bit of an exhibition kink,” he said dryly. 

Lou wrinkled his nose, Michael choked out a surprised laugh and Gabriel leaned closer as if he wanted to hear more. 

“Well, new development while you were away. It’s snowing and Mikey caught a standby flight. They’re leaving.” Gabriel turned on his pleading eyes, which was much more effective than his pout.

“Tell me you and Deano are staying? It’s too early to shut this party down,” Gabriel pleaded and gestured to the still half full decanter of scotch. 

Cas looked at Dean with his heavy-lidded eyes and flushed cheeks. He had just as much to drink as Cas, and considerably less to eat. “It’s your call,” Cas said. 

He watched Dean eye the scotch and smile faintly at his brother. “What the hell. A man tells you that you gave him the best orgasm of his life, that’s worth celebrating.” 

“Damn right it is.” Gabriel lifted his glass before guzzling down the remainder of his drink.

They spent the next two hours talking and laughing. It was the most fun Castiel had experienced with Gabriel in a long time. Busy lives and distance kept their interactions short and sporadic. There was heavy teasing between Dean and Gabe, but for the most part, they seemed to get along. 

The fire had died down and the scotch was long gone by the time Cas asked Dean if he would like to go to bed. His head was resting against the back of the loveseat, and he gave Cas a sleepy nod but made no effort to move. It was adorable and childlike, and Cas wish he had the energy himself to carry Dean to bed. 

Cas pulled himself up and extended a hand to Dean. Even in his tired state, Dean was still playful. Instead of letting Cas pull him forward, he let his body go slack and tugged Cas down to his lap. It surprised a giggle out of Cas, which made him full belly laugh because he was a grown man, and he did not giggle. 

It took a herculean effort, but eventually, Cas dragged Dean up the stairs and into his old bedroom. He didn’t want to, but he knew offering Dean his own bed was the polite thing to do. 

“We have a guest bedroom if you would feel more comfortable there,” Cas spoke softly. 

Dean kicked off his shoes and turned to Cas, his fingers already working the buttons on his shirt. “I’m fine in here if you are.” 

“I am fine as well.” 

While Dean continued to undress Cas ran downstairs to get them both a bottle of water and a few pain relievers. The last thing he wanted was to wake up with a hangover. When he got back, Dean was snuggled in under the covers near the middle of the bed. His eyes were closed and he looked peaceful. 

Cas tried to be quiet as he undressed himself down to his briefs. The bed was already warm when he slipped in and he noticed Dean was also only wearing a pair of tight black boxer briefs. No amount of whiskey dick would have been able to keep Cas’ cock from the interested throb when seeing Dean’s naked body. 

He was surprised when Dean snuggled up to him. Cas was only a few inches from the edge of the bed, and if Dean pushed any closer they might fall off. 

“This okay, Cas?” Dean slurred. 

Cas’ put his arm around Dean and pulled him down to his chest. “More than okay.” 

Dean’s breathing was even and after a few moments wondering if he was drifting off to sleep. He felt kind of manipulative, knowing this was a conversation for a sober well rested Dean, but he hoped with his defenses down, the other might be more receptive to what he was about to say. 

“Dean, please consider Lou’s offer. We can make up a story about you and I. Whatever you want, but don’t pass him up thinking things between you and I will make it weird. He’s a good businessman and has great contacts.” Cas traced his fingers up and down Dean’s arm. When a response didn’t come right away, he figured the other man was already asleep. 

“I will, Cas. I’ll think about it, okay?” Dean finally said. 

“Good. You deserve to be invested in, and I would do it myself, but that would surely make things strange.” 

This time there was no response, but Cas had gotten what he wanted. Dean agreed to give it real consideration, and that’s all he could ask for. He finally began to doze, and let himself pretend that Dean laying in his arms was something he would have again. And just before he fell asleep he pressed a sweet kiss down into Dean’s hair. “Goodnight, beautiful.” 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m posting from a cruise ship :) I hope the formatting sticks. <3 Big love to TrenchcoatBaby for the fast edit and helping me with the errors.

Cas stared out the window, watching the lifeless trees zoom past. He smiled to himself as he played back the morning in his mind. He and Dean had woken up snuggled together, Dean curled up around his back clutching him close. For a moment Cas worried things would be uncomfortable, maybe even tense. But all his worry melted away when the other man almost squeezed the life out of him and whispered a low “good morning” in his ear. 

Naomi was surprised when they bashfully joined her for breakfast, her grin almost knowing. No other man had stayed the night with Castiel at his mother’s house, and based on her sweet smile, she didn’t seem to mind. There was a full spread laid out in the breakfast nook and she insisted they join her. It wasn’t long before Gabriel sat at the table and filled his plate. He was far too chipper for the early hour. Before breakfast was over, Gabe had managed to convince Dean to give him a ride back into the city. 

Dean sliding his hand against Cas’ brought him back to the present, as they sat side by side in Dean’s car. Their palms were flush, and Dean squeezed to get Cas’ attention. “You okay?” he asked. 

“I’m fine, just thinking,” he said, smiling at the side of Dean’s face. 

Gabe’s head popped over the backrest of the front seat and startled both Cas and Dean. “Wha’cha thinkin about, Cassie? Dreaming about the bathroom blowjob?” 

“Geez, Gabriel can you not?” Cas sunk down into the warm leather seat. His brother loved nothing more than to tease him, and under normal conditions, it wouldn’t bother him. But he had enough to worry about regarding Dean that he didn’t want to add brotherly torment to the queue. 

“Sorry. I’m just happy you have a frisky little sex kitten here, Cas. You could use some loosening up.” Gabe clapped him on on the shoulder before leaning back in his seat. 

“Cas isn’t the one who loosens up, if you know what I mean,” Dean commented sarcastically. 

“Dean, you little minx.” Gabriel's eyes sparkled with amusement. “I kind of assumed the opposite.” 

Were Cas willing to let go of Dean, he would have buried his face behind both hands. He felt a nauseating shudder when he thought about his brother having sex, and couldn’t understand how this was fun for Gabriel. 

“It takes a lot for me to give up that kind of control, but I trust him. I know Cas is going to take care of me.” Dean’s eyes flicked to the rearview mirror, catching Gabriel’s gaze. “Plus, his dick is huge. Hits my prostate everytime…”

“Okay, alright. Point taken,” Gabe conceded.

Cas’ body felt flushed from the tips of his ears all the way down to his cock. Dean was clearly joking, but a vivid picture of them doing just that wouldn’t leave his thoughts. While Gabe and Dean talked back and forth Cas imagined his escort laid out before him, his legs spread wide and his hard length resting against his stomach. 

“..right, Cas?” 

“Huh?” He jerked back knocking his elbow against the passenger side door. He hissed at the pain and embarrassment before looking back and forth between his brother and imaginary lover with wide worried eyes. 

“ _ Oh my God, _ ” Gabe cried. “Were you just thinking about—”

“No,” Cas exclaimed. He looked at Dean owlishly. It was one thing to have a fantasy when he was alone in bed, but sitting right next to the man, Cas worried Dean would be creeped out. That was until he saw the corner of Dean’s mouth tick up in a barely-there smile. 

“Don’t be embarrassed. You act like I haven’t thought about it.” Dean looked at him. Something in his face made Cas believe this wasn’t a show for their audience of one.

“You don’t have to say that.”

“I’m not saying it to mess with your brother, Cas. I mean it.” 

Elation thrummed through his chest. Dean had thought about him. It would stand to reason that, of course, Dean had thought about him, he was the one that initiated the blowjob in the first place. But still, to have Dean’s confirmation made Cas’ heart soar. 

“C’mere.” Dean pulled their clasped hands toward his body, telling Cas he should move in closer. Cas’ cheeks flushed as he scooted across the bench seat and Dean slid his arm around Cas’ shoulder, pulling him into his side. He hated that his brother was witnessing such a vulnerable moment, but there was no way Gabe could understand the strange shift in his mood. 

The rest of the ride home went way too fast. The three men shared light conversation and silly jokes. No one mentioned the weird confession Dean shared, and for that Cas couldn’t be more thankful. When they got to Cas’ apartment building, Gabe got out with a quick goodbye, leaving Cas and Dean to have a private moment. 

“Thank you, Dean. You were perfect,” Cas said. He was still pressed into Dean and reluctant to move. The next time he would see the man was at the Christmas party, and he wanted to forget that would be their last time together. Cas wondered if it would be weird to call Succubus and request another date with Dean before the party. Would Dean think he was too desperate? Did Castiel care if it meant he got to see him again?

“I had a really good time, too. Um, this might be weird, I don’t know. But can I call you?” 

Castiel’s breath caught in his chest as the corners of his lips turned up. “I’d like that.” 

“Good. Yeah, okay. I’m pretty nervous about talking to your brother, but you’re right. I can’t pass this up. If you’re okay with it, we can work out something to tell Lou about our, ah,  _ relationship.”  _

Lou? Dean wanted to call him to talk about his proposal to Lou? Cas deflated, “Yeah, of course it’s okay. Just call me whenever. I can talk you thought a good sales pitch for him.” 

“Thank you, Cas. I mean it. It would be impossible to tell you how grateful I am,” Dean said. He raised his hand and ran his thumb along Cas’ cheek. It was a sweet soothing gesture, but all it did was make Cas’ stomach clinch in anxiety. Dean ducked his head to catch Cas’ eye and for a moment they simply stared at each other. Cas trying to read anything in Dean’s face that said he was more than just a client. They had only known each other a week and only spent a handful of hours getting to know each other. It was insane for Cas to feel so let down, yet there he was. Sitting next to Dean, staring into the most soulful eyes he’d ever seen, hoping for some sort of miracle. 

Fingertips gripped his chin as Dean pulled him forward into a gentle kiss. A sweet press of lips was all Cas got before Dean pulled away. “I’ll talk to you soon.” Cas could only nod and whisper, “yeah,” before climbing out of the car. 

He touched his lips as he heard Dean’s engine roar to life and drive away. He was going to give himself a few moments to collect his thoughts. Gabe was still up stairs and he couldn’t walk in looking like his heart had just been broken. Why had Dean kissed him goodbye? It was probably something he just did with clients. There wasn’t anything special about him. Dean was probably just doing his job well, yet Cas still has a sliver of hope that maybe Dean felt something for him as well. That all the charged moments between them were not just in Cas’ head. 

Cas chided himself for being so emotional over Dean’s comment. It was irrational to be this upset over Dean asking him for help with his pitch. He could have gone to his own brother, who was probably a genius if he was half as smart as Dean described him. Asking Cas for help was still wanting to be around him, and it wasn’t like Dean was trying to court him, but it gave him one more excuse to talk to him before the holiday party. Somehow that wasn’t the salve he hoped it would be. But he committed to it, and would do his best to help Dean prepare. 

  
***

It was finally Friday and Cas couldn’t wait to get out of the office. Charlie had already left for the day, rushing out the door to get ready for another date. It was her fourth date with a woman name Gilda, and Charlie was ready to take things to the _ next level _ . Cas didn’t particularly want to hear as much detail as Charlie shared, but he was happy for his friend nonetheless. Though he was immensely jealous. The only thing he had to look forward to was baked chicken and a Hallmark Christmas movie premiere. 

Cas had picked up the phone twice to dial the number to Succubus, but chickened out both times. He had been in steady contact with Dean since Thanksgiving, and wasn’t sure how the man would take a sudden date request. Moreso, he wanted to stay ignorant about Dean’s calendar. Knowing if Dean was booked for the weekend would probably upset more than just assuming he was busy. 

The last message he got from Dean was the night before around midnight. He was working on his proposal for the meeting with Lou and had a question about his budget. Most of their communication had been personal, but Dean asked a few things to help him smooth out the wrinkles in his plan. It shouldn’t have surprised him, but Dean was very apt in his business knowledge, and even though he emailed Cas several documents for notes or suggestions, Dean already had everything planned out precisely. He could see that Dean had been working on this a long time, putting time and effort into a proposal even when he hadn’t had an investor in mind. 

In between helping Dean, Cas had been working on his own pitch and was waiting for Michael’s final approval on his new policies and cost of living wage increase. It was why he was lingering around the office after five p.m. on a Friday. When he turned the binders full of paperwork over to Michael the week before, he was given a deadline of having an answer by the end of business the following Friday. When a Novak gave you their word about a deadline, it was always expected to be met. So when Cas hadn’t heard from his brother before the building cleared out, he was quick to worry. 

Michael wasn’t a bad man, but he’d never been known for his generosity. The company paid well, but based on the profits for the last five years, they could do better. The divide between Michael and Cas was that Castiel wanted to pay the laborers, and Michael was more interested in executive pay increases. So there was a chance the CEO could completely shut him down. 

Cas was seconds away from chewing on his nails—a habit he kicked nearly ten years ago—when his phone rang. With clammy palms he reached for the receiver, answering hastily and breathed out a rushed “hello?” 

“Go home Cassie,” Michael demanded from the other line. “I have some revisions for you, but your little workers are going to get their raise. Now stop worrying and take that hunky boyfriend of yours out to celebrate.” 

Michael hung up the phone without waiting for Cas’ reply. His shoulders dropped as he sighed in relief. He imagined what it would be like to call Dean and ask him out for a drink to commemorate the occasion. He packed up his bag and work laptop, ready to start his weekend. 

Cas spent his entire commute home lost in the fantasy of being able to see Dean when he wanted. He was borderline obsessed with the man, and starting to worry himself. “That’s it! No more thoughts of Dean,” Cas said to his empty car as he pulled into his parking garage. 

Baked Chicken was starting to sound like too much work, and Michael was right about one thing. He should celebrate. Once he got inside and changed into warm lounge pants and his favorite old St. Jude’s donors t-shirt, Cas dug through his takeout menus. Pizza was in the lead, but Thai was a close second. 

Cas was thinking how great a beer would be with his pizza and wishing he and Dean had been able to get a case of  _ Winchester  _ on the way home from his mother's, when his phone buzzed and jumped across the counter. 

_ Dean W. >>> Hey, Cas! What are you up to? _

Cas looked down at himself. He wasn’t about to admit to Dean he was standing in the kitchen alone, holding take-out menus while in his pajamas before eight p.m. on Friday night. So he made his response purposely vague. 

**_Dean W. <<< Just trying to hash out dinner plans. What about you? _ **

_ Dean W. >>> Let me guess. You’re at the take out menu drawer in your pjs? _

Cas barked out a laugh. He told Dean he was a bit of a loner, and it was a pretty cliché lonely man’s Friday night. Not a bad guess on Dean’s part. 

**_Dean W. <<< You already know me so well. ;)_ **

_ Dean W. >>> Good so that means your free? _

**_Dean W. <<< Yes. _ **

_ Dean W. >>> Wanna hang? My date canceled but the room was paid for and she prepaid for room service. ;) _

Cas’ eyes bounced back and forth as he read the text over and over again. He was elated that Dean had just asked him out, but Cas didn’t know if he was showing up as a replacement client or as a friend. It felt like they were friends. They texted almost everyday, and it was all pretty friendly stuff. That couldn’t be something he did with all his clients? How would he get any work done? It wasn’t like they were having a full conversation, just a few quips, and on rare occasion a meme or two. 

He could just ask. It would be easy to just text back “as a friend or…” But he didn’t want to know the answer, so instead he replied back that he would love to hang out. The response came back so quick that Cas wondered if Dean had already started typing out the address before he accepted. 

The hotel was one of the city’s finest, and Cas couldn’t wait to relax and have a delicious meal with Dean. Even if he was a client and had to pay for the night, it would be money well spent. 

Cas was instructed to come dressed comfortably because they weren’t going anywhere and  _ jeans are leg prisons and shouldn’t be allowed after business hours.  _ Cas chucked to himself as he drove across town. He didn’t know what jeans and business hours had to do with each other, but Dean did make a valid point—if they were lounging for the rest of the evening he might as well dress the part. 

It took him twenty minutes to get to the room Dean was staying in. There was a moment of embarrassment walking through the lobby of a four-star hotel in your slippers, but Cas held his chin high and rushed to the elevators as quick as he could while still looking casual. 

The elevator ride was painstakingly slow and yet didn’t give him enough time to calm his nerves. He was going to follow Dean’s lead and be happy with whatever he got. Dinner and a movie with an escort was still better than sitting at home alone wondering if that very same man was out with anyone else. 

Dean answered the door quickly after his brisk knock. He was greeted with a warm smile and shining green eyes. 

“Hey, buddy. Come on in,” Dean said. He was dressed in a while robe that looked like it was made of the softest fleece. 

Dean backed out of the doorway and lead Cas across the spacious room. He wasn’t lying about the quality of the room, it was exquisite. The tan walls were warm and inviting. A king size bed sat in the middle of the room with all white linens and high posts. He was surprised the room wasn’t a suite with the bedroom tucked away, but maybe Dean’s original client didn’t want to splurge more than they already had. It was probably best Cas didn’t think about what that client had planned for Dean. 

“Hello, Dean. This room is beautiful.” Cas kicked his slippers off by the door. 

“Hell yea it is. I got you a robe in the warmer in the bathroom. Get comfy because we gotta talk about the bathroom having a freaking robe warming closet.” Dean eyebrows were raised, and he looked as if he was expecting Cas to be as shocked as he was. He wondered what Dean would think of the towel warmer in his apartment. 

“That’s great, Dean. I’ll get changed and join you.” 

The bathroom was much more impressive than the bedroom area. There was a giant tub off to one side. Across from that there was a shower stall big enough for three people to move about comfortably. 

Cas pulled his much nicer, but still comfortable, t-shirt over his head and slipped out of his best lounge pants. If he knew he was going to disrobe the moment he walked in the door, he wouldn’t have made the effort of changing from one pair of pajamas to another. 

He tucked his thumbs into his boxer briefs, but hesitated. Dean had been wearing a robe when he walked in, but it was too fluffy for Cas to noticed if he was freeballing. He debated with himself back and forth before deciding he would rather have to pause before sex to ditch the underwear, than accidentally expose himself and be mortified in front of Dean. He pulled the warm robe around himself and sighed at how good it felt. 

When Cas came out of the bathroom, Dean was reclined on a stack of pillows up against the headboard. He looked relaxed and pleased for the company as he waived Cas over. Netflix was queued up and there was a bottle of rye whiskey on Dean’s night stand with two clear plastic cups. The kind the hotel usually keeps in the bathroom. 

“Alright, we’ve got whiskey, we’ve got  _ Brooklyn 99,  _ chocolate covered strawberries in the fridge, and your choice of dinner.” Dean pointed to the menu in the middle of the bed. “Not bad for a Friday night, eh?” Dean raised on eyebrow. The look was somehow cocky, yet sweet. 

“Way better than the pizza and Thai food I was going to order,” Cas said as he crawled onto the bed. He had spent a lot on his mattress, and was always picky about sleeping anywhere other than his own bed, but as he sunk in, he could picture sleeping very comfortably here. He didn’t know if he was invited to spend the night, or would be going home, but that was a problem for future-Cas to worry about. 

“Dude, memory foam. It remembers me,” Dean said jovially. 

“You’re a hard one to forget.” Cas’ eyes shot up to Dean. It wasn’t something he meant to say, but it was nothing but the truth.

“Charmer.” Dean had a crooked grin and looked down at his lap. It was always sweet to see the man turn bashful. 

They started off with a hearty helping of the whiskey, as they settled back and made themselves comfortable. Dean was on his second rewatch of  _ Brooklyn 99,  _ but still laughed at Jake’s antics as if he’d never seen the show. His laugh was raspy and came all the way from his belly, It was warm and sexy, and something Cas wished he could hear a lot more often. Dean was a man who seemed to carry a lot of weight on his shoulders, and seeing him so light and carefree was intoxicating. 

The strawberries made for a good snack, but by the third episode they were thinking about what to order for dinner. It wasn’t often Cas lost his appetite, but he’d rather spend his night snacking on Dean than filling up on the heavy pasta he talked about ordering. 

“You look like you’re trying to figure out world peace over there, Cas. What’s got you so serious?”

“Nothing.” 

Dean glared at him, knowing he was lying. Castiel was at an impasse. He could tell Dean what he was really worried about or he could show him. He felt more self-assured with Dean, and was willing to take a chance in a way that could be either humiliating or one of the sexiest things that had ever happened in his life. 

Cas decided to go for it. 

“I was just thinking...” he said in a low rumble. With each episode they seemed to migrate closer to the center of the bed. There wasn’t much distance between them now, but Cas closed the gap as he sidled up next to Dean and pulled the menu from his hands. 

“If you’re amenable, I have something else I would like to taste before dinner.” With a newfound confidence Cas wasn’t used to, he twisted to face Dean. His fingers gently trailed down Dean’s neck as he pulled the collar of the robe aside and licked a board stripe from Dean’s collar bone to his ear lobe. 

“Oh, hell yes.” Dean surged forward and captured Cas’ lips, the tip of his tongue gently probing at Cas’ closed mouth. He opened up to let Dean take over the kiss for just a moment. Cas needed to feel in control, but he wanted his partner to be loosened up first. 

He let Dean’s tongue tangle with his for a few moments before leaning forward and pushing Dean down onto his back. A wave of arousal zinged through him when Dean’s body went pliant under Cas’. 

“Is this okay,” Castiel rasped. 

“Fuck, yeah.”

Cas pulled back, letting his eyes linger on Dean’s plump wet lip. He didn’t know where he wanted to go next. Deans mouth was so hot and the kissing was amazing, but he really wanted to see what was under Dean’s robe. 

Cas pulled the tie of his own robe and let the sides fall open, showing off the bulge in his tight black boxer briefs. He wanted to see Dean’s skin, feel it against his own, the anticipation was driving him wild. 

He sighed as Dean’s hands came up and grabbed him around his waist. The warmth felt good around his hips and Cas needed to feel that heat all over his body. 

He swiftly pulled off the robe, and gripped Dean’s shoulders as he climbed into the man’s lap, straddling his thighs. He lurched forward for another deep kiss and as his finger tips worked their way down Dean’s chest. 

When Cas finally reached for the belt he tugged the cloth, ready to see what Dean had on under the oppressive fabric. Never in a million years would he have been able to guess what Dean was wearing. Cas was expecting the same average boxers from Thanksgiving, or hoping for nothing at all. But the black satin covering his cock was far more enticing. 

“Holy shit, Dean,” Cas breathed. His heart was pounding in his chest so hard, it drowned out any response Dean may have given. Dean’s arms slid out of the sleeves, leaving them laying on the robe as if it were a blanket. 

Cas ran his palm over the smooth fabric and his cock twitched in tandem with Dean’s. He couldn’t wait to get his mouth on the man below him and wanted to soak the panties in saliva before pulling them off with his teeth. 

He was conflicted, because while Dean’s straining dick pushed against the black satin, his hip bones jutted out and begged for attention. His prominent collar bones needed to be sucked on, and his hard nipples deserved just as much attention. 

Cas smiled to himself as he resolved to work backwards. Instead of kissing his way down Dean’s body and ending with his cock, he started there. Dean’s hips bucked forward as Cas ran his nose along the smooth shiny fabric. Dean smelled of masculine soap, and Cas figured he’d showered recently, which gave him other ideas all together. Maybe his nipples didn’t need that much attention after all. Dean implied to Gabriel that he liked to receive, and fuck if Cas didn’t shiver thinking about licking Dean open. 

With more determination, Cas let his mouth flood with saliva and trailed his tongue up Dean’s covered length. He cocked his head to the side and let his lips close over the head, sliding his tongue along the ridge. 

Cas has never been one to tease. He was impatient in waking moments, but in the throes of passion, he was downright impractical with his need for release. But with Dean, he was enjoying the man squirming under his touch. 

Cas realized he’d been doing nothing more than supporting his weight with his hands, and moved to remedy that by taking one of Dean’s nipples in between his fingers, causing him to cry out in pleasure. Dean started shifting under Cas, and it was easy to see he was just as ready for more as Cas was. 

With one hand still tweaking Dean’s sensitive dark nipple, his other slid up Dean’s leg until he reached the bottom hem of the panties. He gripped the hem tight and tugged it up toward the waistband and twisted. The fabric pulled tight across Dean’s balls, and he let out a loud, “Fuck.” 

With the panties bunched up, half of Dean’s cock was exposed, and Cas couldn’t wait any longer for a taste. He let the tip of his tongue slide up the side of Dean’s shaft. Cas released the cloth and gently nipped at the fabric with his teeth. He felt Dean begin to tremble, as soft cries of pleasure fell from his mouth. It was music to Cas’ ears and after years of reading about moments like this in books, he finally understood why it was just as arousing to give pleasure as it was to receive. 

The panties were still between his teeth and he yanked them down just enough to let the flushed red tip of Dean’s cock peek out. He maneuvered his head enough to ensure the underwater wouldn’t slide back over Dean’s dick before letting go. He swiped a few kitten licks against the head before dipping into his slit and moving up to Dean’s hips. 

Cas wanted to suck a mark into Dean’s skin where his torso pointed into a deep V. He wanted to leave his claim on Dean’s body, letting all his future dates know Cas has been there first. But he didn’t. Instead, he scraped his teeth and swirled his tongue and left a sweet trail of kisses up Dean’s stomach, but he didn’t leave marks. 

Cas finally made his way up to Dean’s neglected nipple, and had to suppress a chuckle when Dean whined. Cas leaned over Dean, his lips circling around the hard nub when he felt Dean’s erection push into his stomach. The man was panting and grinding up into Cas with a hurried determination, and though Cas had only been working Dean over for less than fifteen minutes, his needs shot up to urgent. 

With his plan to open Dean up using mostly his mouth, Cas took a final moment to savor a scorching hot kiss. Both men were grinding into each other, and Cas gripped the sides of Dean’s neck to anchor himself. He felt like he would float away, and the only thing keeping him steady on the ground were Dean’s hands gripping his hips. 

If he were ever given the opportunity again, Cas would set aside hours to map out Dean’s body with his teeth, lips, and nails. Trail kisses over every inch of exposed skin. He would spend countless minutes pinning Dean’s hips down as he carefully sucked Dean right to the edge, only to back off and start all over. 

He didn’t get have that kind of time now. There was a fire burning through his veins and he needed this release as much as Dean did. They were both moaning and rocking into each other, and if they weren’t careful, they could end up coming, cocks rubbing against the other’s stomach. 

Cas drew back and slid further down Dean’s legs. For the first time in what felt like an hour, he looked into the shining green eyes staring up at him. Dean’s eyes were hooded and pupils blown wide. His chest was heaving, breath coming out in ragged gasps. 

“You’re killing me Cas,” Dean huffed. “Please.”

Cas shushed Dean, telling him he was going to take care of him while his hands gripped around the top of the black satin panties. “I’ve got you, Dean. Just relax.” There was a brief moment Cas considered ripping the garment right off the man’s body, but thought better of it. Instead, he slid them down Dean’s hard length, over his balls and down his legs, making sure the smoothness ran over his most sensitive parts. Cas worked himself backwards with every inch of Dean’s skin, which became more exposed until he was able grip Dean’s ankles one at a time and divest him of the last of his clothes. 

At long last, Dean was naked below him. Cas took a moment to revel in his beauty. He was firm and toned and gorgeous and if Cas wasn’t inside him soon, he was going to scream and then cry. 

In a very unsexy manner, Cas wiggled out of his briefs, and kneeled at the edge of the bed. Dean stared at him with one corner of his mouth lifted looking shy and sexy. As if loving Cas taking in his body, but still slightly nervous to go all the way. He wanted to know what that was about, he needed to make sure Dean didn’t have any reservations. 

“You okay?” Castiel asked plainly. 

“If you don’t hurry, I’m going to finish the job by myself,” Dean threatened. 

A surprised bark of laughter leapt from the back of Cas’s throat, easing all his worries. It was time to get back on track. Dean must have felt it too, because he spread his legs wide, giving Cas space to rest between his knees. Cas drug his nails up Dean’s thighs before grasping them and pushing his legs up and open. Dean groaned a filthy moan and fucked up into the air, looking for some kind of friction. He quickly caught on and pulled his legs back even further, giving Cas better access to his tight pink hole. 

There had only been one other time that Cas had done this, and it wasn’t because he wanted to, but seeing Dean so open and vulnerable, made him dive in like Dean was an ice-cream sundae. The first few licks were tentative, but soon he was licking and slurping, sucking on Dean. He flattened his tongue and pushed against Dean as hard as he could, rubbing his ridged tongue up and down over Dean puckered muscle. 

“Fuck, Cas. Please. I’m so hard, Cas fuck me,” Dean begged. He pushed his ass against Cas’ face grinding Cas’ nose against his balls. 

“Lube?” Cas wasn’t able to think in complete thoughts, but he was sure he’d given Dean enough information to know what he needed. 

Dean slapped out his left hand and pointed to the bedside table that was clearly further away than he thought. Dean’s hole was slick with his saliva, and Cas wasn’t ready to pull back just yet. He wanted to at least get on finger in before he started opening Dean up for real. 

Cas ran his finger along Dean ass, matching the pace of his licks. His finger and tongue circled around Dean’s hole as if they were chasing each other in a game of tag. How could this have Cas so turned on? He felt like he could come, just watching Dean writhe under his ministrations. There was no way he was going to last, and needed to get Dean on the same level. 

With just the lightest of pressure Cas’ finger slipped in Dean as if it were returning home after a long day, like this was just an everyday occurrence and it belonged there. If Cas had things his way, it would. He would give up his role at the family company just to be able to give Dean nonstop pleasure. 

The lube was just out of reach, and Cas had to pull out to be able to reach for it and a condom packet. The time for teasing was over, and he quickly coated his fingers and plunged two into Dean’s heat. “ _ Cas,  _ fuck. Hurry, baby please,” Dean moaned out. His voice sounded desperate, and Cas wanted nothing more than to hurry up and sink into him. 

After scissoring his fingers back and forth he felt comfortable adding a third finger. It was only another sixty seconds before Dean was gasping and begging Cas to just fuck him already. 

The buildup had Cas rock hard and aching as he ripped the wrapper off the condom and rolled it down his length. His own touch made his hips jerk forward seeking something to slide into. It only took a moment to rub the lube over his swollen flesh. He gave his cock a few strokes to make sure he was good and wet before drizzling a dollop over Dean. 

Cas took his cock in hand and shuffled up the bed to line himself up. He used the head of his cock to spread the lube over Dean before slowly pushing into the other man. It was tight and warm and instant euphoria. 

Collapsing forward, Cas planted his arms on either side of Dean’s face. Moans and sighs were escaping his mouth that fell in sync with Dean’s gasping and quiet cries of “oh fuck. Oh God, Cas.” Dean was near babbling as Cas increased his pace. There was a moment he remembered Dean’s prostate and he shifted with each thrust forward hoping to find it. Dean’s hands latched on to his sides and held tight. 

He was blinded by lust, and couldn’t do much more than work off instinct. It wasn’t always the easiest to find it, but with a little effort Cas had always managed to find his partners magic button…but by the third time his rhythm faltered he gave up and wrapped his fingers around Dean’s hard cock instead. 

He stroked Dean in sequence with each jerk of his hips, every slide up timed perfectly with the moment Cas’ balls slapped Dean’s ass. 

Cas leaned forward to capture Dean’s lips, and by complete dumb luck, he struck gold. Dean's legs clamped around his waist, locking him into place. Instead of pulling and pushing back in, Cas thrust forward further. Grinding against Dean’s prostate. Their foreheads pressed together as the breathed into each other’s space. Kissing would take too much focus and one wrong move could steal the perfect orgasm that was building low in Cas’ belly.

“Cas, right there. Fuck. I’m gonna come. Yes, oh yes.” Dean dropped his head back and closed his eyes. He gasped and groaned as the first hot translucent steam of come hit Cas’ chest. 

Dean’s nails dug into Cas’ before his quivering body relaxed into the mattress. “Come on, Cas,” he slurred. 

With Dean satiated, Cas focused on his own release. He fucked into Dean’s tight hole with reckless abandon. Conscience of not hurting Dean, he thrust forward one last time as hard as he could before the tension finally snapped. His body shook as Cas filled the condom. 

No longer able to hold himself, Cas fell on top of Dean, breath coming out in rugged gasps. He wasn’t sure how long he laid there, but eventually his breathing calmed. Now that he was paying attention, Dean’s breathing was a little shallow and he was sure he was the main cause, and not from their strenuous activity. 

Cas pulled out as slowly as possible, but Dean still winced. He remembered the first time he bottomed. No amount of fingers can prepare you for the empty feeling you have after being stuffed full. They were both covered in come and though Cas didn’t feel like moving, he made to roll off the bed. 

Dean grabbed his bicep and murmured, “Where do you think you’re going?” 

It made Cas smile. Dean didn’t want him to leave. It wasn’t asking him to stay, but it was more than he was anticipating. “I’m going to get a washcloth.” 

“‘Kay. Grab a glass of water too and get your ass back in this bed,” Dean demanded. He was sprawled out like a starfish and Cas couldn’t help but admire how adorable he was. 

True to his promise, Cas was back quickly with a glass of water and a warm washcloth. They wiped themselves clean and laid back against the pillows, shoulder to shoulder. 

“You’re sticking around for dinner, right?” Dean asked. His checked were flushed and he didn’t meet Cas’ eyes. 

“I’m here until you kick me out.”

“Good. Check out is at eleven a.m.” 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TrenchcoatBaby stayed up so late to edit this for me so I could get it to y'all on my new Monday schedule. YAY. I wanted to get to the party before Christmas, but these two took a little bit longer to work their shit out than I planned. I hope you enjoy. Merry Christmas and if you don't celebrate the holiday I hope you have a great day regardless.

In the days that passed since Cas stayed in the hotel with Dean, they kept in constant contact. It was mostly text, but there had been a memorable phone call the night before Dean’s brewery presentation. He had some reservations, but Castiel assured him he had everything in order and was doing to just fine. Cas was able to talk Dean off a ledge and wished him luck.

Later that day Lou called letting Cas know Dean had done a phenomenal job, and not only was he interested, but he had a second investor looking to join. Cas was under strict orders not to share this info with Dean, and he felt like the secret might kill him. But he also understood how business dealings worked and sometimes things fall through without a moment's notice. He couldn’t bare giving Dean false hope, only to have something unpredictable hold up the deal.

There was only a week until the party, and Charlie had been harping on him to ask Dean out on a real date when everything was over. She almost had Cas convinced. It was either that or keep paying to see Dean, and that just wasn’t something he was willing to do. After spending the night with Dean he never got an invoice, and he never asked, but it still nagged the back of his mind. Maybe Dean didn’t handle the billing and Meg would be calling him soon for a past due balance. Or maybe Dean just wanted to see him. After the second night of intimate cuddling, Cas was letting himself begin to hope.

He once read that “hope was a good thing, probably the best of things and no good thing ever dies _._ ” But he’s not sure Stephen King was talking about lusting after the escort you hired to fool your family into thinking you were dating. But alas, the spark of hope was there and wasn’t leaving. 

A jolt of bravery hit Castiel one night while he was lounging at home and he pulled out his phone. 

**_Dean W. <<< Hey Dean! Are you free anytime this week?_ **

That was easy enough. He kept it light and vague, just like most of their messages seemed to be. He could be asking as a friend or hoping to book another appointment. And even though Cas resolved to not see Dean after the party in a professional setting, he would pay if Dean had a last minute opening up until that point. 

He was giving himself two options. Ask Dean out and take the possibility of rejection or cut ties with him and move on. He was leaning heavily toward asking Dean out and had felt like he had a hint of a chance.

Cas sat back on his couch pleased with himself and flipped the TV to a cheesy Christmas movie. He only caught a few moments of the contrived dialogue before remembering Dean talking about the ongoing argument with his younger brother Sam.

Cas decided to click over to his iTunes account and rent  _ Die Hard _ . He’d never seen it and hoped he could help settle the debate. 

_ “Come out to the coast, we’ll get together, have a few laughs…”  _ John McClane was crawling through the ducts of the Nakatomi Plaza when Cas heard back from Dean. Before he remembered he was waiting for a return text, Cas scowled at his phone wondering who would dare interrupt his movie. When the phone buzzed a second time, he paused the move and snatched it from where it had been resting on his coffee table, frowning at the offending device. 

_ Dean W. >>> Hey Cas, Sorry I’ve been at work. _

_ Dean W. >>> I wish I could see you, but this week is really busy, but if I get any free time I’ll text you. _

Damn. Cas felt the sting of disappointment. It wasn’t like Dean rejected him because he didn’t want to see him, so that was something. It was better than an outright rejection but still made him feel over-exposed and vulnerable. 

**_Dean W. <<< Of course, I imagine you stay quite busy. No problem. ;)_ **

_ Dean W. >>> I’m looking forward to the party though.  _

**_Dean W. <<< Me too._ **

The rest of the movie wasn’t as enjoyable as the first half was, but Cas did his best not to sulk. He may not have been the most successful, but he tried. The goodnight text from Dean helped...a little. 

The next two days dragged out before Charlie got fed up and announced she was tired of Cas’ moping. She insisted on a night out and already booked a table at his favorite restaurant. The place had a twenty-four-hour cancelation policy, and Charlie knew him well enough to be certain he wouldn’t cancel for fear of getting blacklisted. 

Cas knew she was only trying to help, but she had been meddling too much in his affairs when it came to the beautiful, green-eyed escort. But the reservations were already made, and he wasn’t going to turn down an evening with his best friend. He wasn't going to admit it to her, but the distraction was welcome. 

As any respectable CFO would, Cas had a nice suit stashed in his closet. There had been more than one occasion when he needed a fresh suit since he took over this position, and he learned quickly it was smart to have one on hand. What he wore to work would have been fine, but if he was going out with the intent of getting his mind off Dean, then it wouldn’t hurt to wear something that might catch someone’s attention. He wasn’t going to go home with anyone, but if it got hit on a time or two he wouldn’t mind. 

The suit was royal blue with a subtle sheen. He didn’t need to change his basic white button-down, the vest and jacket would cover any wrinkles he acquired throughout the day. 

Charlie, the little sneak, must have made the plans earlier in the week because she came to the office that day fully prepared. After closing, she stepped into his office while he was adjusting his tie in the mirror affixed to the closet door. She looked stunning in her floor-length black gown. It was a simple dress, but with her bright red hair swept back low on the nape of her neck, she looked beautiful. 

“I hope this Gilda knows what she has,” Cas complimented. 

“You know, I think she does.”

Cas held out his arm, offering Charlie his elbow. “Shall we?”

Because they were dressed up and headed to one off the few extravagant indulgences Cas allowed himself, he decided to call for a car service. He may have no romantic feelings towards Charlie, given that they were both interested in their own gender, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t treat her to a luxury date. 

The car ride was less than twenty minutes, and soon Cas was assisting Charlie down from the elegant SUV that carried them to their destination. From the outside the restaurant was unassuming—it’s the main reason Cas liked the establishment so much. When his mother chose a high-class dining service there were velvet ropes and honest to goodness red carpet. 

Cas and Charlie stood in front of the whitewashed brick with classic black trim. From the outside, the building looked small with one large rectangle window exposing a small portion of the dining room. Past that and behind a privacy wall was a much larger dining area with a bar in the back left-hand corner. 

His mouth started watering by the time they were greeted by the maître d'. And before they were shown to their table, he already had his order planned out. They were seated quickly in a prime location and Cas couldn’t imagine what Charlie had to do to get such a good table with little notice.

When the waiter came around, he asked for a bottle of wine while Charlie browsed the menu. Though it was a place Cas himself frequented, Charlie had only been there with him once. The smile on her face let Cas know she was happy to be back. 

The first time they ate there, Charlie choked on her gum when she saw the cost of each dish, but Cas assured her he was paying and she was free to order anything she wanted. Even before the hefty raise that came with being CFO, he still came from a wealthy family, and his trust fund was enough to live a lavish life of luxury. Being an executive of a Fortune one thousand company meant his kids wouldn’t have to work. Though they would, just like Naomi made him and his brothers work their way to the top. Family money didn’t guarantee an honest humble person, but climbing your way up from the bottom—with a comfortable security blanket—sure did. Even if said security blanket was more than most middle class workers would make in their lifetime. 

Operation distraction had been a complete success. The pair shared appetizers and wine while they waited for their main course. Dean still crossed his mind, but he didn’t linger for long. It showed him that if he were to ask Dean out and got rejected, it would take some effort, but he wouldn’t be devastated getting turned down. He didn’t know if he was thinking rationally, or if that was the hope talking, but he knew he would be all right. 

It was the first time Cas had felt so carefree since well before meeting Dean and decided to order a second bottle of wine. He could have waited for their server, but Cas had a lot of nervous energy he needed to work out. So instead, he got up and made his way to the bar in the back corner where the simple black and white theme carried on. 

The bar was small and would tend to overcrowd quickly. It was the only downside to the restaurant. Being familiar with the custom, Cas pushed his way forward trying to slide in between a man and his date.

“Pardon me, sir,” Cas said as he tried to squeeze by. 

The man turned to him and recognition flashed in his eyes while a devilish grin lit up his face. “Castiel, my dear. It’s fantastic to see you,” the man said in a thick British accent. 

Cas had a false pleasantry at the ready when the man’s date whipped his head around and gaped at him. Anything Cas was about to say caught in his throat as Dean stared at him through wide eyes. 

Castiel knew Dean was working, and that work was usually being arm candy for rich and powerful men and women. But as he stood there staring at his perfect, kind, funny, dream man, Cas felt like he was getting hit in the gut with a cannonball.

“Ketch, how are you?” Cas asked schooling his features. He didn’t want to give Arthur Ketch the upper hand for a second time. 

Last year Cas and Ketch met at a high class lounge downtown. It was one of the only times Cas had gone out with the intention of having a one night stand, and the only time he’d ever successfully gone through with it. If you call what they did a success. 

After a night of mediocre sex Ketch quickly dressed, and in his most patronizing voice, asked Cas if he was going to be okay. He said there was nothing to be ashamed of, that Ketch had a no sleepover policy, and Cas was good for a night, but nothing more. It hadn’t hurt his feelings that the man left, but the automatic assumption that Cas wanted something more made him feel stupid. Cas was a well-educated, humble, and willing to be vulnerable when the situation called it, but he was not stupid. Ketch had done nothing but pissed him off, and as he slipped out of Cas’ bedroom—insisting he could show himself out—he felt that’s exactly what Arthur wanted. As if he were working some kind of power play. 

It made the tendons in his neck coil to think he was pulling the same shit with Dean. He was too smart—too special—to be with the likes of Ketch. 

“I’m doing well, thank you. Forgive me, I must introduce you to my date. This gorgeous man is Dean.” Ketch wrapped a possessive arm around Dean’s shoulder. Cas assumed his face made Arthur believe the reaction was because of him. Even if he was genuinely smiling, his grin looked sinister. He took a small sense of satisfaction in knowing that Ketch couldn't be more wrong, even if he was the only one to know.

“Dean, it’s a pleasure.” Cas gave them both a tight lipped smile. 

“Castiel, you must forgive us. We were just having a drink while we waited for our car. Romantic getaway. I’m sure you understand.” Ketch, the smarmy prick, was gloating. 

For a fleeting moment, Cas considered saying something to Dean. Nothing incriminating, just enough to work up Arthur. Something Dean could pass off as Cas being nothing but crazy or mistaking him for someone else, but enough to be the idea in Ketch’s mind that maybe Cas did know Dean, and he was playing in Cas’ sloppy seconds. But as soon as the thought came he dismissed it. Dean was far too precious to be thought of as  _ sloppy seconds.  _

“Well, I would hate to keep you from your busy week.” Cas knew it was passive aggressive. He doubted Dean would even remember telling him his week was crazy busy, but it was just petty enough to make him feel better. Seeing Dean standing there with another man made him feel betrayed. It was irrational and unfounded, but it was there all the same. Dean wasn’t his boyfriend. Dean hadn’t even gone out on a  _ real  _ date with him, but the anger and disappointment bouncing around in his mind didn’t seem to care. 

He felt a lump rise in his throat and had to get out of there before Dean saw his eyes fill with tears. He wanted to cry because Dean wasn't his. He wanted to cry because he was mad at Ketch. He wanted to cry for being so upset that his eyes glistened as he escaped the restaurant. 

It wasn’t until he had Lyft pulled up on his phone that he remembered Charlie sitting at the table alone. She was probably wondering what was taking so long, and waiting to dig into her appetizer until he came back. And the idea of being a shitty friend was what pushed him from on the cusp of crying, to tears dropping down his cheeks. 

He confirmed his ride that was seven minutes away and called his best friend. 

She picked up after three rings. “Cas? Where are you?”

“Charlie? Are you still willing to help me pick up the pieces?” Cas choked back a sob. 

“Fuck! Where are you?’

“Outside waiting for a Lyft. Throw some cash on the table and I’ll pay you back.” 

Cas swiped at his face. He didn’t want Charlie seeing how upset he was. It wasn’t as though she would judge him, and he knew she wouldn’t drop an  _ I told you so.  _ But he still wanted to save a bit of his dignity. 

She burst out the door, frantically looking left and then right trying to spot Cas. He watched her for a moment and felt guilty for making her worry. He was being childish and he knew it, but it didn’t stop his heart from aching. 

“Cas,” Charlie called out as she rushed over. 

Seeing her brought a fresh wave of tears, and he cursed himself for being such a child. How could he justify being so upset over someone he’d known less than a month? Someone who didn’t even look like he was sorry. Just an expression that said  _ I know you’re a client, but I’m with someone else right now, so you’re a stranger.  _

Thinking about it, that’s what pained him the most—Dean’s complete ambivalence. All the hope he’d been feeling the past two days came tumbling down around him. His feelings were a Jenga tower that just toppled over.

Charlie wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his face to her shoulder. She rubbed soothing circles into his back as he buried his face in her neck. 

“It’s okay, Cas. I don’t know what he did, but it’s okay to be upset,” Charlie cooed. 

She held him until the car arrived. After a few deep breaths, he was able to pull himself together. The initial rush of anguish passed, and Cas saw the situation for what it was. Just a man who fell for a prostitute because he did his job well. 

As they climbed out of the car and made their way up to Cas’ apartment, he took in Charlie’s words. It was okay to be upset. It was Dean’s job to make him feel adored. He should have felt special and desired, it’s what he paid for. The hope wasn’t his fault, and it wasn’t Dean’s fault that Cas couldn’t contain his feelings. The escort couldn’t be responsible for the client’s feelings. If they did that, he’s not sure they could be effective at their job. 

By the time he unlocked his door and switched on the living room lights, Cas no longer felt betrayed, or angry. But the disappointment lingered. He wished he met Dean before he took the job as an escort. He wished he had stopped into Benny’s gumbo shack just once and had the beer. Maybe he could have invested instead of Lou. There were so many missed opportunities to mourn. 

Charlie ushered him into his room with strict instructions to get into his most comfy pajamas. It sounded lovely, so he did just that. He peeled his suit off with no desire to hang it up or preserve its structure. He left the clothes in a messy heap on his bedroom floor. 

Once he was in a pair of threadbare grey jogging pants, and a vintage Led Zeppelin t-shirt, he plopped down on the couch next to Charlie. She had stayed at his house often enough to know that there would always be a load of laundry in the dryer, so while Cas was changing she slipped into the laundry room and pulled out one of his undershirts. The basic white t-shirt was several sizes too big and hung down to her mid thigh. 

Charlie waited until they were settled before asking what happened. 

“Do you remember that guy I brought home from Play? Arthur Ketch?” Cas asked. 

Charlie blanched and nodded. 

“I saw him at the bar tonight...with Dean.” Cas drew his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. 

“Oh, Cas. That’s worse than just seeing him with a stranger. That guy was a dick.” Charlie scooted closer and slung her arm around Cas’ shoulder. 

“I just wished it worked out differently,” Castiel mumbled, dropping his head to his knees. 

“I know.”

After several long moments of silence, Charlie suggested they order takeout, but Cas didn’t have much of an appetite. He didn’t want to keep Charlie from dinner any longer than he had, so he handed over his phone and told her to order anything Postmates would deliver, encouraging her to place a second order for a bottle of bourbon. 

With her busy on his phone, Cas turned on the TV hoping for a distraction. A movie about a Christmas curmudgeon was playing, and he couldn’t help but let one corner of his mouth lift, it was too perfect. But as the movie played on and Charlie settled close to his side, Cas’ cynicism went unfounded as the grouchy middle aged man found his soulmate giving Christmas a whole new meaning. 

“Yuck! Let’s watch  _ Scrooged _ . Billy Murray has it right the first half of the movie,” Charlie said reaching over Cas’ body for the remote. 

Cas couldn’t help but laugh. Charlie had all the reason in the world to hate Christmas after losing her parents so close to the holiday, but she always had so much festive spirit. No matter the situation, she never let her pain win out. Cas wished he could be more like her. He was currently cuddled up with a throw pillow waiting on a booze delivery just because he witnessed his escort out with a different client. It seemed pathetic when put in those terms, but it still hurt. He thought there might be something there with said escort. Knowing Dean had other clients as an abstract concept was entirely different than having the stupid assbutt staring him in the face. If he ever found out Ketch was as disrespectful to Dean as he had been to him, he would make sure the man was banned from Succubus. He didn’t know how, but he was a man of many resources if he needed to be. 

By the end of the movie Charlie had finished her meal, and Cas still didn’t have his bourbon. He was just starting to accept that she didn’t order it for him when there was a knock on the door. 

“Finally.” Cas bounced up from his seat and rushed to the front door.

“Cas,” Charlie called out after him, but he ignored her. He knew the speech,  _ don’t drown your troubles. Drink Responsibly. Is he worth the hangover?  _

But when he jerked the door open his postmates delivery person was...it was Dean. 

“You’re a hard man to find,” Dean huffed. 

Cas stared at him, but couldn't understand. “You drive for postmates too?” 

“What? No. What?” Dean scrunched his eyebrows together and wrinkled his nose. 

Cas’ eyes bounced from the bottle in Dean’s hand to his confused expression. 

Charlie slid up next to him and placed her small hand on his shoulder. “Cas, I never ordered your bottle of bourbon. Dean is just here—to talk to you.” She grabbed his shoulders and pulled him down as she stretched up on her tiptoes, planting a gentle kiss on his cheek. “Call me tomorrow,” she whispered. 

Cas was shocked into silence, barely even noticing Charlie slip past him. It would occur to him later that she must have left his house in nothing more than his t-shirt and her dress in her hands, but for that moment he couldn’t take his eyes off Dean. 

“What are you…” Cas trailed off, not even knowing what was happening. Dean was supposed to be on a romantic getaway with the closest thing Cas had to a nemesis, but instead, he stood in Cas’ doorway hold his favorite bottle of bourbon.

“Can I come in?” Dean asked. 

Cas nodded. His throat was dry and the affirmation wouldn’t make its way out. 

“I tried to get here sooner, but uh, I didn’t know your apartment number. Meg wouldn’t give it to me, so I had to start knocking on doors.” Dean pushed passed Cas and looked around the room. When he spotted the kitchen, he made a beeline for the cabinets. After opening and closing several doors, Dean let out a small whoop when he found the glass tumblers. 

“Nice shirt, man,” Dean said pointing at Cas’ chest with the bottle of whiskey he was trying to open. “They’re my favorite band.” 

Cas was being treated as a guest in his own home. Dean dug out a few pieces of ice and plopped them into the tumblers. There was a cracking sound as Dean poured the drink into their glasses. It was strange seeing Dean work around the room as if he had been there a million times, and it made his heart flutter at imagining this was just something they did. 

His kitchen wasn’t large or extravagant, but it was spacious enough that Dean had to take several large steps to stand next to Cas at the island in the middle of the room. He had yet to say anything to Dean, and by the way the man’s pleading eyes watched him, he figured he needed to say something soon.

“You okay, man?” Dean asked. “I can go if you don’t want me here. I just thought—”

“No,” Cas shouted, startling even himself with the unexpected volume. He lowered his voice. “No, I don’t want you to go. I’m just confused as to why you’re here.” 

“Okay, right to it then.” Dean guzzled down his drink before pouring himself another. This time it was a double and he drank down half before setting his glass down. 

“I just felt like I needed to explain.” Dean lowered his eyes and stared at his melting ice cubes. His shoulders hunched forward, and Cas took pity on him. 

“Come on, let's get comfortable,” Cas suggested. He took a page from Dean’s book and drank down his bourbon and refilled his glass. As an afterthought, he grabbed the bottle and brought it with them. 

He led Dean to the couch and sat with his legs tucked up under him and his back against the armrest. He wanted to assure Dean that he didn’t have to explain anything, that he didn’t owe Cas a reasoning, but he held his tongue. Dean apparently knocked on door after door until he found him, so he clearly wanted Cas to know whatever he was about to say. 

Dean toed off his shoes and mimicked Cas’ position on the sofa. “So uh, sorry if this is weird. I just—when you looked at me like I ran over your puppy, I couldn’t just leave things that way. And you kept ignoring my texts and calls, I had to see you. Fuck, that sounds corny.”

“It’s not corny. I think it’s sweet. But, Dean I wasn’t ignoring you. My phone hasn’t rung once...,” Cas trailed off. He remembered his phone being less than ten percent when he called for the Lyft. He wasn’t even sure where he put it when he dropped his trousers on the floor. Hopefully, it was on his bedside table with a dead battery and not in the floorboard of some stranger’s car.

More important than his phone, Cas wondered why his wounded face affected Dean so much. Why had he felt the need to hunt him down? Dean was sitting right in front of him, there was no need in speculating, he may as well just ask since he couldn’t possibly make things worse. Hope slowly began to trickle back into his heart. 

“Oh. Well, that’s good. I just thought you were hurt. You looked hurt when I didn’t acknowledge you. But I didn’t want that guy to know we knew each other. He was such a dick to you, I thought you had a history or something.” Dean pulled his suit jacket off and slid his tie through the collar of his shirt.

A tingle ran up Cas spine watching Dean get comfortable on his couch. This was exactly what he had hoped for since the moment he met Dean, but did his best to keep himself in check. He didn’t want to go through that disappointment again. 

“Or something,” Cas confirmed. “I assure you I’m happy that you’re here, Dean, but I don’t understand why. I thought you were going away with Ketch for the weekend?”

“You know, it’s the damnedest thing, there was this stomach bug going around my building and it hit me right before we left the restaurant. But by some miracle, I’m cured.” Dean grinned at Cas with a pink tinge to his cheeks. 

“How unfortunate for him, I’m sure he had big plans for the weekend.” Cas bit the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling. Not only was Dean at his house, after hunting him down because his feelings were hurt, but he also stood up Ketch to do so. It was a damn Christmas blessing. 

Dean rolled his shoulders and blew out a deep breath. It looked like he had been debating something and finally came to a conclusion. “Let me bottom line it for you, Cas. I like you. From the moment I met you there was just something there. It feels stupid to call it a spark, but fuck if that wasn’t it. I forgot that I was at work sitting at the gumbo shack. I couldn't get you off my mind, and after that night at your mother’s every time I went out with someone else, I felt like I was cheating on you.” Dean lowered his head, avoiding Cas’ gaze. It made him wonder if Dean was as uncertain about his feelings as he had been. 

Cas’ chest ached with how hard his heart was pounding. For a moment he worried he might be having an actual heart attack. That would make more sense than Dean confessing feelings Cas couldn’t even believe he had. The same ones Cas himself had been having for just as long. 

“I’m such a shitty escort. I got attached to my first real client,” Dean chuckled darkly. “But holy shit, have you seen yourself?” Cas watched Dean draw his eyes up and rake them over his body, lingering on his lap. He wasn’t even trying to hide his hunger. 

“And then the night at the hotel. I was hooked.” Dean rolled his eyes to the top of his head and dropped his head back, letting out a salacious moan. 

Cas’ cock jerked and his stomach flipped at the memory. He nodded in agreement— Dean wasn't the only one addicted after that night, and he said as much. 

“I’m relieved to learn you felt the same way about that night, I thought it was only me. I kind of assumed you were just very good at your job and I was stupid for falling under your spell so easily. But I have been, as you say, hooked since well before then. If I’m honest, I have felt the same spark when we met. ”

Cas unfolded himself and crawled across the sofa on his knees. Dean opened his legs wide, giving Cas enough space to wiggle and settle between his thighs. It wasn’t the most comfortable position, but Cas needed to touch Dean. He was real, and there in the safety of Cas’ home confessing his feelings. If this was a dream, Cas planned to take full advantage. 

“No, Cas. It was just you. I wasn’t even acting with you. I mean other than the bullshit uptight language I used with your mom. But everything else, that was all me.” Dean leaned forward and caught Cas’ lips in a hesitant kiss. After the night he had, Cas needed more than soft shy kisses. He pressed himself chest to hip down on Dean and licked into his mouth. His tongue slid over Dean’s, desperate for his taste. 

The kiss quickly turned frantic and Dean sucked Cas’ bottom lip into his mouth and bit down. It was rough and there was a sting of pain, and Cas loved it. His body responded, cock swelling in his sweatpants. He was still on his knees in front of Dean, but the angle didn’t provide friction for either of them. 

“Dean, I want to talk about what all this means for us, but right now I need you,” Cas whined. 

“Me too, Cas I need you, too.” 

It was the only confirmation Cas needed and he sprung back from Dean’s lap. He grabbed the other man by the hand and dragged him up from the couch. Dean didn’t question and let Cas lead him to his bedroom. 

His room as an adult was very similar to the one from his mother’s. An expansive king sized bed stood in the middle, with a bench at the foot of the bed. Bookshelves lined the walls, and there was a single chair in the small reading nook off to the right. The bedroom was the only reason he bought such a capacious apartment in the first place, and the look of wonderment on Dean’s face let Cas know he was equally impressed. 

They could talk about the schematics of his bedroom after they were both satiated, but Cas’ first priority was getting Dean naked. He pulled Dean back into a filthy kiss and moaned as their tongues met. His need for contact was at an all-time high, and Cas pulled back, quickly tugging his shirt over his head. He remembered his vow to worship Dean’s body inch by inch the next time they were together and made himself the same promise. There wasn’t time for that now, based on Dean slinging his pants across the room, he would say the other man agreed. 

Maybe there would be a handful of next times before they were able to slow things down, but as long as they were on the same page in their desperation, Cas didn’t mind. From the sound of their short conversation, this was something Dean was willing to invest in, so there would be time for lovemaking. 

Cas climbed on his bed, laying back against the stack of pillows. Their clothes were scattered across the floor, and Dean followed him onto the plush mattress. His gaze was focused and he wore a devilish smirk. 

“I want to ride you, Cas,” he purred, trailing his finger down Cas’ bare chest. “If I don’t have you inside of me, I swear I’m going to explode.” Dean tugged at his growing erection, and Cas let out a pained grunt. Dean had no idea what he was doing to the man, or how close he was to exploding himself. 

Dean ran his palms over Cas’ stomach, making the muscle jerk and he crawled up the bed and straddled his lap, rubbing their cocks together in a delicious slide. It was dry and rough and Cas gasped at feeling Dean against him. 

“Please Dean,” Cas begged. “Need you. Top drawer.” 

Cas was losing his higher brain function and his cock grew impossibly hard. Dean was here in his bed and just as hard and needy as he was. This very well could be the best day of Cas’ life, and if he died from excitement, he couldn’t imagine a better way to go. 

Dean threw himself across the bed and lunged for the top drawer, bringing back a bottle of Astroglide and a strip of condoms, making Cas bark out a deep, husky, laugh. 

“I’m afraid you overestimate my abilities,” Cas joked, eyeing the other man’s bounty. 

Dean looked down at the line of protection and smirked. “Oh, I already know your abilities are more than satisfying, but I didn’t have both hands to pull them apart.” Dean threw the condoms on Cas’ chest. “Here, you do it, while I deal with this.” 

Cas looked at him puzzled wondering what  _ this  _ was until he saw Dean drizzle lube over his two middle fingers and reach behind himself, and oh fuck, he was sitting front row watching Dean open himself up to take his cock. In all his sexual encounters, nothing had been more arousing than watching Dean finger himself open. There were grunts, and gasps, and a long whine that made Cas clamp down on his own bottom lip to hold himself back from grabbing Dean, flipping him over, and stuffing his cock in his barely prepped ass. 

Cas busied his hands by gripping the condoms and ripping them apart, as he watched Dean push back against his own hand. He couldn’t help the whimper that creeped out of his throat watching Dean’s thick cock bounce up and down as he worked himself open. 

“Hurry up with that condom Cas, or you’re just going to have to watch me make myself come,” Dean threatened. But really it wasn’t a threat at all, because Cas’ cock jerked and precome dribbled down toward his stomach at mental image Dean provided. He was half-tempted to see if Dean would follow through, but the need to have Dean wrapped around him was too strong. 

It wasn’t long before Dean was inching up Cas’ body, staring down at his covered cock. He poured a tiny dollop of lube into the palm of his hand and gripped Cas tightly, sliding up and down the man’s shaft. 

“Dean, please.”

His body was humming and his heart beat erratically. Having Dean shuffle himself up his body was better than he could have dreamed of. His eyes were dark and hooded and there was a mischievous grin plastered on his perfect pink lips. It had been too long since Cas had his mouth on Dean’s and he needed to remedy that. He scraped his nails against Dean’s scalp before gripping his hair and pulling him down into a rough and dirty kiss. 

“Fuck, Cas,” Dean moaned and pulled away after several long kisses. He reached behind himself and gripped Cas’ hard length before lining himself up. Dean gasped as he slowly seated himself on Cas’ cock. There was a brief pause when Cas felt his tip push past Dean’s tight ring of muscle, where the man paused to get used to the intrusion. He was warm and tight and soft and Cas was sure this is what heaven must feel like. 

“Dean, so good,” he breathed, hardly able to keep his voice steady. His pulse was hammering in his throat and all coherent thought was lost when he felt Dean’s ass settle on his thighs. His dick buried to the hilt in Dean’s hole. 

Cas was immensely grateful that Dean took a moment to adjust before he started to gently rock back and forth. He took a few calming breaths and sent up a silent prayer that he could last long enough to satisfy Dean. Though, based on the way Dean gripped tightly around the base of his cock, he was likely feeling the same. 

After a few breathless moments, Dean lifted his hips achingly slow releasing the length of Cas’ cock all the way to the tip before gliding himself back down. He brought himself up and back down several times in the same fashion before picking up the pace. He increased his speed gradually, dropping his hands on Cas’ chest for purchase as he began to bounce up and down on Cas’ cock. The sound of Dean’s dick slapping against his stomach filled the room like a drum solo in the best concert Cas had ever been to. 

Dean threw his head back, exposing the long column of his throat. Cas needed to get his lips on the exposed skin, so he wrapped his arms around Dean’s waist and raised his chest to meet his lover’s. 

“Oh, Cas, shit,” Dean cried out. “Right there. Cas, fuck baby, that’s the spot.” 

Dean was shaking and gasping for air, and Cas’ only explanation was that he was brushing against the other man’s prostate. He thrust up experimentally and Dean let out a long groan. He smiled knowing Dean was getting close.

After what felt like eons, Cas finally got his lips on Dean’s skin, kissing his way up Dean’s throat, the new angle working for him as much as his partner. He pushed forward as Dean rocked back and they fell into a perfect rhythm. Dean was sitting on his lap, and gripping onto his shoulders like he would fall off if he loosened his hold. 

“Cas, Cas, gonna come, please.”

His concentration was waning and Dean started grinding down against him erratically. His lips were pressed against Dean’s neck and he held the man tight against him, leaving no room for Dean to do anything other than rock his hips. 

It was the sweetest and hottest moment he ever had, Dean in his lap panting into his ear. He didn’t know what to do next, he wanted to bite Dean’s neck, kiss his lips, pull his hair, and hold onto his ass as he pushed into him all at once. Not being able to choose, Cas kept still and planted a small kiss into the side of Dean’s neck as he felt the tension in his limbs come to a head. 

“Dean, I’m, oh shit, I can’t…”

“Yes, Cas, come on, come with me, Cas.” 

Dean dropped his forehead to Cas’ shoulder and his body locked up as he let out a strangled cry. Hot come pulsed from his cock.

Cas began to shake and gave one final thrust causing an earth-shattering orgasm to tear through him. His nails dug into Dean’s skin leaving small crescent indents deep into his flesh. He pushed into Dean so hard he lifted the man off his knees for just a moment, before dropping back down in a boneless heap. 

“Wow,” Cas slurred, clutching Dean tight to his chest and falling back onto the mountain of pillows. The sudden movement startled Dean and he let out an undignified squawk. It was such an endearing sound that Cas couldn’t help but huff out a laugh as he nuzzled deep into Dean’s neck. 

“‘Wow’ indeed,” Dean whispered. The warm air against his ear tickled and made Cas grin so hard his cheeks hurt. 

They lay in bed for several long moments without moving. The one and only time they had done this Cas spend the precious moments after trying to crush away any wishful thinking. This time he let his heart fill with hope and desire. Dean had come to him. He ditched his date and risked getting in trouble just to make sure Cas knew he was sorry. He wanted to be there with Cas, and this time there was no question if it was as a client or not. 

Dean wanted Cas, and they could make it work. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who have been reading this as a WIP I am so sorry for the delay. When I got home from my vacation I fell right into Christmas, then got sick over New Year's. I mean 4,000 people on a boat and 5 hours in an airport two days before Christmas were bound to leave a person sick. Then I honestly just lost motivation. Since we are so far past Christmas, I removed a lot of holiday cheer from the party and kind of condensed it to get this chapter done. I hope you don't mind. The party was never something that was going to be an import part because I knew they were going to be together by that point. Thank you for reading and sticking with me.

Cas woke to sun streaming through the curtains and smiled at the warmth pressed against his back. He loved that Dean was such a cuddler, and even though he felt overheated, it was a price he was willing to pay. If the relationship lasted, waking up hot and having to use the bathroom while Dean clung to him could get taxing, but until then he was going to soak up all he could get. Maybe if they would plan a sleepover for once, Cas could turn down the heat to accommodate for Dean’s koala like attachment, and perhaps even use that to draw him in closer, strictly for warmth, of course. 

His bladder was full, and he wanted to surprise Dean with breakfast in bed, but Cas wasn’t able to bring himself to move. They didn’t talk about much the night before other than confessing that feelings were there, and real. There was still so much to work out, and Cas just wanted to bask in the ease of their relationship for just a bit longer. 

He had to tread carefully in talking to Dean about their future. Dean was a hard-working man with an abundance of pride, and one wrong word might cause irrevocable damage. He wanted to ask Dean to quit his job and stay in bed with him all day. That he would pay him three thousand dollars for the week if he just promised not to go on any more dates. He knew how much that sounded like Pretty Woman, but it didn’t make it a bad idea. And if it were anyone else other than Dean, he might even make the suggestion. But he supposed that stubbornness might be part of why he was so crazy about the damn personal space heater. 

But they had to talk about it. At the very least Cas wanted to know if they were going to date and if they were dating what that meant for Dean’s professional sex life. He could handle the paid dates for a little while, knowing that Dean put on a fake persona for those. But wouldn’t officially date Dean if he had anything on the books that required sex. Fuck, there was so much to learn about what was involved in being an escort. There was only one way to find out, and it scared him. He didn’t want to come across as a jealous asshole, but no way was he going to be able to cope with someone else’s hands on his, hopefully-soon-to-be, boyfriend. He needed to find a diplomatic way to say all this to Dean without sounding possessive. He was willing to compromise with Dean to a certain extent, but emotionally, he couldn’t handle Dean sleeping with other people. Some people can detach themselves from sex, enjoy it for what it was without getting emotionally invested, and at the beginning of his adventure with Dean, Cas thought he might be one of those people. 

He wasn’t.

The comfort and solace he’d found lying in Dean’s arms had shown him that even if Dean could detach from his clients and get intimate with them without a real connection, Cas didn’t have the capability for meaningless sex. He was having an internal debate with himself that he had no way of winning. He didn’t know Dean well enough to predict his answers, and even though he wanted to map out fifty different conversations that could happen, he just didn’t have the tools. His only option was to talk to Dean and keep his mind open. Be willing to make sacrifices without compromising his own integrity––no big deal. 

It took a few moments, but Cas finally wiggled out of Dean’s hold and quietly slipped out of bed, hoping that a few moments alone would recenter himself. Being up and active would help keep his mind busy, even if it was the mundane tasks of basic morning hygiene. 

He padded into the kitchen after dressing in boxers and a t-shirt with a fresh face and mint lingering on his tongue, cataloging his breakfast options. French toast was the lead contender, and as he pulled out the items he would need, he hoped that Dean wasn’t allergic to eggs. It was probably overkill, but he grabbed several pieces of fruit too, just in case. 

He took a moment from his food prep to start a pot of coffee and wondered how he’d made it this far into the day without the life force that is caffeine. He groaned at the truly awful <Dean is my new drug> joke he’d been working on. It’s that kind of overly attached thinking that would send Dean running for the hills if he let something like that slip out. 

His mind wandered as he flounced around the kitchen measuring this and pouring that. Mostly he thought of cooking as fast as possible without burning anything, so he could crawl back into bed with Dean and feed him strawberries and drown his toast in real maple syrup. He hadn’t known the man long, but Dean’s sweet tooth was no secret. 

“Oh, Coffee,” Dean said as he groggily shuffled into the kitchen. He was wearing Cas’ boxers, and that means he must have––yup he was wearing Dean’s boxers. It was kind of weird how warm that made Cas feel, but something about the careless intimacy set his flesh alight. 

“You’re so good you made me forget about coffee, Cas. What’s that even mean?” 

Cas, who had been taking a drink of his own sweet nectar of life, spit coffee all over the counter trying to hold back his laugh. It wasn’t exactly the same joke he’d told himself, but close enough. And it was strange that over a feelings confession and fantastic sex, this awful probably-not-even-meant-as-a-joke joke was the thing that set Cas at ease. Dean, for his part, laughed at the coffee streaming out of Cas’ nose, saving him from the impending embarrassment. 

It took him a moment of coughing and sputtering to get the mess cleaned up, but as he wrung out the dish rag, Dean took his cup and poured him a refill. 

“Based on how light that puddle is, I’m guessing you take cream?” Dean asked, setting the mug down next to the area Cas was wiping down. 

“Yes, I’m partial to the holiday blend in the door, please.” 

“So, uh, looks like you were about to make a feast in here. Can I help with anything?” Dean was standing near the fridge looking shy and uncertain. It almost sounded like he was asking if he was invited to stay. 

“Yeah, I didn’t know if you ate French toast, so I was going to make fruit and oatmeal as a backup.” Cas lowered his gaze and scratched the nape of his neck. 

“Dude, French toast is my specialty. Mind if raid your spice rack?” Dean was grinning as if helping Cas cook would be a privilege, and that was fine with him. He got no particular enjoyment out of cooking but could see that Dean did. 

“Sure, I can cut up the fruit if you’d like to take over,” Cas said pointing to the small half cupboard that held his limited seasonings. 

They worked in tandem, moving about the space with ease. It was pleasant, and Cas' wish of holding on to the simplicity of their developing relationship was playing out before his eyes. But there was a deeper part of himself still worrying about where they stood, still wondering what the solution should be. 

“So, uh, my brother is coming to town next weekend. He’s bringing his girlfriend Jessica so they can look over the contract Lou is drafting,” Dean said waiting for the last piece of toast to crisp. 

“Lou is very serious about this investment, Dean. He moves quickly when he wants something.” Cas wished he could be more like Lou in that regard. It was one of the only admirable qualities about his older brother, but he always had been good at making deals. 

“Well, the timing couldn’t be better. I got a voicemail from Crowley this morning and ah, let’s just say me being an escort isn’t going to complicate our relationship anymore.” 

“Wait? Did he fire you? For being sick?” Cas said, dropping his knife to gape at Dean.

Cas’ emotions took off in the wrong direction. Instead of the relief he should feel over Dean not having to date anyone going forward, he was livid. It was absurd to think that Crowley would fire him for a sudden onset of norovirus. Dean not being an escort any longer was his ideal outcome, but not like this––not because the man had to leave a date suddenly. 

Fire shot through Castiel remembering who Dean was with the night before. Ketch must have called Crowley and complained, the smarmy bastard. 

“Yeah, I mean it’s not really a big deal. I––”

“Not a big deal? Dean, he terminated your job via voicemail. It’s a big deal. Ketch did this.” Cas started to pace clenching and releasing his fists. He was usually slow to anger, but Arthur Ketch getting Dean fired was enough to send him into a rage. 

Cas stalked out of the kitchen back into his bedroom to retrieve his phone. Lucifer had people who could find out everything about Ketch––where he lived, where he worked, any nefarious business trades he'd done recently. Ketch wasn’t the only one with money and power enough to get a man fired. 

“Cas...Cas?” Dean followed behind him into the room. 

“Give me just a moment, Dean,” Cas said, never taking his eyes off his contacts list. He was just about to hit Call when Dean snatched the phone from his hands. 

He glared up at the other man and set his jaw. He needed the Dean to see that this wasn't just about Crowley firing him. This was a petulant man-child not getting his way, and someone needed to take him down a peg. 

“Give it back,” Cas demand. 

“No way. Man. You look like you were about to call a hit man.” Dean held the phone behind his back. 

“Well, that asshole needs to pay for what he’s done. He didn’t know you had another opportunity coming in. You have a brother to care for.” Cas was panting, and he could feel the first trickle of sweat in his hairline. 

“Cas, please calm down. I thought you’d be happy,” Dean said softly, almost as if he were apologizing, which was insane. He was the one that should be on the warpath.

In a strange turn of events, anger made Castiel bolder. Two long strides had Cas standing in front of Dean and cupping his face with both hands. “How could I be happy about you losing your job?” he asked, staring into rapidly softening green eyes. 

“It means we don’t have to figure out a way to make this work. I’ll be honest I’m a little relieved, it was easier than quitting.” Dean stared back at him looking like a child who just admitted to breaking his mother's favorite vase. 

“Quit? Dean, you were going to quit?” 

“I mean yeah, of course, I was. Why do you think I rushed over here last night?” he asked closing the last bit of space between them and wrapping his arms around Cas’ waist. 

Laughing wasn’t the appropriate response, but Cas did it anyway. It was more of a chuckle than anything, but he cleared his throat when Dean drew his eyebrows together. 

“I don’t mean to laugh. It’s just I’ve been wondering all morning what we were going to do and how this would work with your job. I never dreamed of you quitting so soon. I thought it would be more complicated.” 

Cas slid his hands down Dean’s face and rested them loosely on his neck.

“I was going to quit after the contract was signed anyway. I told you, Cas, I was bad at being an escort. All the fake charm, pretending to be happy, it wasn’t for me. Not to mention, I kind of assumed you wouldn’t want to be with a hooker.” 

Cas pulled back stunned by Dean’s harsh language. “Dean, don’t say such a thing.” 

“Sorry, sex-worker.” 

“Not the time for levity, Dean. I don’t care what you do. I admit I did have strong reservations about you sleeping with other people, but not because I didn’t respect what you do. I was worried I would turn into some jealous jerk always wanting to know what you were doing.” Cas took a breath and leaned further away, enough to still be in Dean’s arms, but also giving him enough space to fully take in Dean’s face. He needed to see the man’s reaction. 

“You said when we first met that you like having sex, that you think it’s fun. But for me, I—uh—I haven't had a lot of sexual partners, so when I’m with someone, I tend to form attachments. I worried that maybe I would forget you’re not the same way and––”

It was Dean’s turn to react. He dropped his arms and stepped away from Cas’ hold. “So is that what this is? We had sex, and you formed an attachment?” 

He sounded hurt, and Cas wanted to kick himself for his poor wording choice. “No. I formed an attachment to you when I saw the way you smiled up at me at the gumbo shack. Your beautiful lips parted, and you seemed genuinely happy to see me. It made me feel warm and happy, and safe.” 

As fast as it came, the stiffness in Dean’s shoulders melted away. Cas took that as his cue to draw him in closer, this time wrapping his arms around the other man’s narrow waist. Without hesitation, Dean stepped into the hug and snaked his palms along Cas’ back. 

“I smiled because I didn’t expect you to be so hot and I don’t know, normal. I was expecting a dick in a ten-thousand-dollar suit, and instead, I got an adorable dork who loves bees.”

Part of Cas wanted to ask Dean if the taking him to Cain’s had been because he wanted to make his client happy or because he wanted to show Cas part of himself. In his heart, he believed it was the latter, and there was no reason to taint that memory. It didn’t matter how they got there, or if the timing lined up perfectly for them. What did matter was that they were there now, wanting the same thing and both ready to try. 

“I’m sorry you lost your job, Dean. Ketch is a rat bastard that deserves to be punished for what he did to you, but if you ask me to I will drop it,” Cas said. He hoped Dean would let him get his vengeance, but the hum vibrating against his ear deflated that hope. 

“Mmm, you’re hot when you’re wrathful. But really Cas, I’m fine with it. His reasons were fucked up, but he kind of did us a favor.” 

The moment called for a sweet kiss or maybe even beautiful lovemaking, and Cas was going in for the kill when the smoke detector started blaring. 

“Fuck!” Dean jerked back and ran back toward the kitchen with Cas on his heels. For as loud and dramatic as the beeping was, Cas was expecting much more smoke or maybe even a fire. He watched in awe as Dean dashed around the stove pulling the pan from the burner and jumping on the counter to cover the detector with a hand towel. It should have been so fascinating, but seeing Dean’s muscles roll and pull as he sprung into action had Cas feeling way more excited than he should have been. 

“Can you open a few windows?” Dean asked from his hunched over stance on the counter. His ceilings were tall, but the man's tall frame wasn’t able to stand up entirely on the elevated surface. 

It took several long moments for the apartment to clear out enough for Dean to uncover the alarm and hop off the counter. He joined Cas where he had been standing in the middle of the kitchen, looking down at the sad, soggy food sitting on the island. “Maybe we should go out for breakfast?” 

***

Castiel checked the mirror one last time, still feeling uncomfortable in his suit. Dean convinced him to buy something that made him look “hot” instead of opting for comfort.

The jacket had black velvet lapels, and the dark color carried throughout. Ornate gold flourishes were densely embroidered into the onyx fabric, haloed around rich burgundy roses. It was flashy, and in his opinion looked like sofa upholstery. But when Dean wrapped his arms around Cas from behind to slid the top button into its hole, he would have agreed to attend the party wearing Carol Burnett’s <Gone With The Wind> parody dress—curtain rod and all. A joke which Dean did not get, followed by a lecture about his sorely lacking pop culture knowledge. 

They hadn’t planned on going suit shopping, but Cas commented on their first official date as a newly formed couple about needing something more festive than a black suit to wear to the holiday party. After that, he’d been dragged all over the city looking for that ten thousand dollar suit Dean had been expecting. Though Cas was not dumb enough to pay that much for a suit he would never wear again, being wealthy or not, he couldn’t justify that sort of extravagant splurge. 

There had only been one night since Dean got fired that they spent apart the week before the party, and that had just been the previous night. Sam and his girlfriend got in the evening before, and though Cas would have loved to meet him, he wasn’t sure Dean was ready for that. At least, that was Castiel’s assumption since Dean hadn’t mentioned them getting together. It was true that Dean had met his family, but those were special circumstances, and Cas would happily wait until Dean was ready to introduce him. They had only stated their intention to date exclusively four days prior, so Cas was fully expecting to meet the younger Winchester during his next visit. Or maybe Cas could convince Dean to take a long weekend during the construction of the brewery to visit his little brother. 

The pounding on the door pulled Cas from his daydream. He was nervous, but knowing that Dean was on the other side of the door waiting for him helped soothe some of the anxiety. Cas sucked in a deep breath as he pulled the door open. Dean was the picture of masculine beauty standing at Castiel’s threshold--his suit was a similar style to Cas’ having a black base, with embroidered burgundy polka dots sewn in so close together that the black was almost indistinguishable.

“Fuck, I forgot how well that coat fit you,” Dean said, surging forward and capturing his boyfriend’s lips in a heated, but quick kiss. 

“Yes, well, at least we make nice a matching sofa and loveseat combination,” Cas joked. 

The drive to the party was uneventful, and before long Dean was pulling his beloved car into the designated parking lot for the employee’s behind the event center. The night was unseasonably warm, and Dean said he could park his own damn car—which was fine with Castiel, it gave them a few extra moments of alone time before entering the party. 

It would be the first night Charlie would meet Dean, but Cas has sent her a text to remind her that everyone thought she introduced them, so she should act like she knew Dean. Which really wouldn’t be a problem for Charlie. More often than not, she treated people like they were close friends from the moment she said hello. 

Charlie had been relieved when Cas told her that he and Dean decided to date and that he was no longer working at Scubuss. With her talents in computer hacking, Cas didn't want to risk telling her what happened to Dean's job. Not until they had some distance and he was able to convince her not to take action. 

For all the build up in his mind, Cas was surprised at how easy the party was. In the first hour they found Charlie, and after some contained squealing at meeting Dean, she introduced them to Gilda. He could tell by the way Charlie looked at her that this woman held his best friend’s heart. And though Dean wouldn’t let him call in favors to take down Ketch, he would have to risk a mad boyfriend if Gilda every knowingly hurt Charlie.

Charlie and Dean hitting it off so well shouldn’t have surprised him, but he felt a tremendous amount of relief as the pair huddled together talking about which episode of Star Wars was the best. It was an excellent opportunity to get to know Gilda a bit better, and by the end of the conversation, he was sufficiently convinced that she was just as invested as Charlie was. It dawned on him that maybe Charlie was having the very same talk with Dean, and he couldn’t help but smile, hoping for a future full of double dates. 

The family made their rounds saying hello and how nice it was to see Dean again. Having someone there to help him deflect small talk was precisely as helpful as Cas imagined when he first booked a date with Dean. A new developing relationship was more comfortable to talk about than the weather or any other dumb small talk subject that may come up. Talking about how they met and how things were progressing were simple, Cas could talk about his new boyfriend for hours if anyone would sit and listen.

Dean was perfect at seeing when Cas became uncomfortable and pulled him away for important business, which on more than one occasion had been the mistletoe hung near the tree. 

They talked briefly about telling his family the truth but decided against telling anyone but Lou. Dean didn’t want to start a business deal on the wrong foot, and as much as they liked each other, relationships were not a guarantee. The reality of Dean preparing for the worst case scenario stung, but he knew it was best for both of them. Cas needed Dean to feel safe and secure in his future, and if being candid with Lou would provide that security, he was willing to go along with it. He didn’t imagine much backlash from his family. Naomi might be scandalized, but in the end, Cas came out with a potential husband who was an entrepreneur that wanted children. She could see past a few lies. 

By eleven p.m. the party was rocking and the open bar flowing, but Cas wanted nothing more than to sneak away and get Dean to himself. If they had to kiss under the mistletoe one more time, he might rip Dean’s clothes off in front of the Christmas tree and all his employees. 

Cas walked up behind Dean, where he had been talking with Lou about the build site, and wrapped his arm around the man’s waist. He smiled at his brother, “This is a party, no shop talk allowed. Now if you’ll excuse me, brother, I need to take my date to lie down. I think he’s just developed a headache.” 

Dean’s eyes went as round as saucers, before his devil-may-care grin slid back on his face. “Yes, Lou. Please forgive me. I’m suddenly feeling ill and need to get home right away.” 

Cas threw his head back and laughed. Dean had been talking with Lou so much since Thanksgiving, that he dropped his stuffy persona, but seeing Dean slide back into it made him giddy in a way he didn’t understand. 

“I hope you know you’re not fooling anyone with that line. We all know you’re going home to screw like rabbits,” Lou said with a smile. 

Cas bounced his eyebrows and winked at his brother. It wasn’t exactly his style, but Lou has been tormenting him for years, and it was exhilarating to give him a taste of his own medicine. 

The temperature had dropped and thought it was still warm for December, gooseflesh prickled along Cas’ skin as they walked back to the car. He didn’t begrudge Dean for wanting to park far away, he knew how important the car was to him, but he wished he would have brought his old trusty trench coat. He didn’t need Dean to tell him it didn’t match his grandma’s couch jacket, and he was regretting trying to impress the man he was already dating. 

“Uh, Cas, I know you were excited to get me in bed, and I can’t wait either, but um, there’s something I was hoping we could do first?” Dean tried to keep his tone casual, but Cas could tell by the way he dropped his gaze and refused to make eye contact that he was more nervous than he was trying to let on. 

“Of course, Dean. What did you have in mind?” 

“Uh, I wanted to see if maybe you wanted to come back to my place, and meet Sam?” 

Cas froze as he reached for the door handle on the passenger’s side of Dean’s car. Just a few hours ago he had convinced himself that Dean wasn’t ready for that. It was a step too big into such a new relationship. Was Dean just doing this to be polite? Should Cas say no? He didn’t want to say no. So much of who Dean is was built on him raising his little brother. It would be an honor to meet him. 

A strong gust of wind reminded Cas that he was still outside of the car, while Dean was already sitting inside, probably waiting for an answer. The car roared to life, as Cas pulled the door back and let himself in, the squeak of the hinges already a comforting sound. 

“Look Cas, I’m sorry. Fuck, I knew you’d think it was too soon. Just forget it okay,” Dean blurted out before Cas even got himself shut inside. 

Dean responded to action better than words, Cas knew this as well as he knew his own name. The words would come. He would remind Dean that everything about their relationship was too soon, that there was no way they were that crazy about each other after on a few dates and a novel worth of texts. But neither one could help the strong feelings, and as long as they were on the same level, he would reassure Dean that it was all going to work out for them. 

Cas slid across the seat and took Dean’s face in both his hands before pressing a tender kiss to the man's lips. 

“Let’s go see Sam.” 


End file.
